Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Price Target Raised to $337.00

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) had its target price raised by Royal Bank Of Canada from $294.00 to $337.00 in a research note published on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has an outperform rating on the basic materials company’s stock.

Several other equities analysts have also commented on the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Ecolab from $250.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Robert W. Baird set a $327.00 target price on shares of Ecolab in a research report on Wednesday. Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of Ecolab from $324.00 to $345.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Mizuho set a $335.00 price objective on shares of Ecolab in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $300.00 to $337.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Ecolab presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $322.06.

Ecolab Stock Performance

NYSE:ECL opened at $298.90 on Wednesday. The company’s 50-day moving average is $274.00 and its two-hundred day moving average is $271.55. Ecolab has a 1-year low of $221.62 and a 1-year high of $306.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 1.08 and a quick ratio of 1.33. The firm has a market capitalization of $84.66 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.06, a PEG ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.99.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The basic materials company reported $2.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.07 by $0.01. Ecolab had a net margin of 12.91% and a return on equity of 22.73%. The business had revenue of $4.19 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.20 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.81 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.670-1.730 EPS. Analysts forecast that Ecolab will post 7.54 EPS for the current year.

Ecolab Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 16th were paid a dividend of $0.73 per share. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 16th. This is an increase from Ecolab’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. Ecolab’s payout ratio is currently 40.11%.

Insider Activity at Ecolab

In related news, EVP Boo Alexander A. De sold 1,422 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction on Monday, November 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $268.25, for a total value of $381,451.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 5,726 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,535,999.50. This trade represents a 19.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director David Maclennan bought 750 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 8th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $257.60 per share, with a total value of $193,200.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 23,035 shares in the company, valued at $5,933,816. This represents a 3.37% increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ecolab

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Wexford Capital LP acquired a new stake in Ecolab in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Ecolab in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Corundum Trust Company INC acquired a new stake in shares of Ecolab in the 3rd quarter valued at $28,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the 4th quarter worth $29,000. Finally, J.Safra Asset Management Corp grew its stake in shares of Ecolab by 202.6% during the second quarter. J.Safra Asset Management Corp now owns 115 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 77 shares in the last quarter. 74.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Ecolab News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Ecolab this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results: Ecolab posted a slight EPS beat and provided FY‑2026 guidance (8.43–8.63 EPS), which supports forward earnings visibility. Q4 2025 earnings call transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades: BNP Paribas Exane moved ECL to a “strong‑buy” (and earlier reaffirmed an outperform with a higher price target), adding buy‑side momentum around the name. Zacks – BNP Paribas upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Additional broker support: Evercore ISI issued a buy rating, and other analysts have raised targets (analyst commentary suggests fair values in the low‑to‑mid $300s), reinforcing upside narratives. Evercore ISI buy
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst fair‑value discussion: Coverage noted an average analyst view around US$317 post‑results, which frames where market participants expect ECL to trade over the medium term. Yahoo Finance – $317 analyst view
• Neutral Sentiment: Style/quant coverage: Zacks highlighted Ecolab as a top‑ranked growth/style pick, which may attract style‑focused funds but has limited immediate price impact. Zacks – Top‑ranked growth stock
• Negative Sentiment: Concerns on organic growth: Some analysts/commentary argue Ecolab’s organic growth wasn’t strong enough to fully justify upgrades, raising questions about the sustainability of the recent run. Seeking Alpha – organic growth critique

Ecolab Company Profile

Ecolab, Inc is a global provider of water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services. The company develops and supplies cleaning and sanitizing chemicals, dispensing equipment, water-treatment systems, pest elimination services and related technologies designed to help businesses maintain clean, safe and efficient operations. Its offerings span both products and onsite services, often paired with technical support and training.

Ecolab serves a broad range of end markets including hospitality and foodservice, food and beverage processing, healthcare, manufacturing and industrial operations, and energy and utilities.