Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) Given Consensus Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Shares of Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) have earned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-one ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, thirteen have given a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $322.2353.

Several research analysts have commented on ECL shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $265.00 to $295.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $325.00 price target on shares of Ecolab and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, February 13th. Robert W. Baird set a $327.00 target price on Ecolab in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Citigroup raised their price target on Ecolab from $324.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Ecolab from $310.00 to $285.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Ecolab news, Director Tracy B. Mckibben sold 1,265 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $308.66, for a total value of $390,454.90. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 11,358 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,505,760.28. This represents a 10.02% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Christophe Beck sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $307.37, for a total value of $6,147,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 90,794 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,907,351.78. This represents a 18.05% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale 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 added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Wexford Capital LP purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Ecolab in the third quarter worth about $26,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Corundum Trust Company INC purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Ecolab in the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Ecolab

Here are the key news stories impacting Ecolab this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strategic growth play into AI infrastructure — the acquisition gives Ecolab immediate exposure to liquid cooling for high-density AI data centers, a fast-growing market that could materially diversify and accelerate Ecolab’s long-term growth profile. Ecolab Buys a Liquid Cooling Company for $4.75 Billion. It’s All About AI.
• Neutral Sentiment: Deal confirmation and terms — multiple outlets report the finalized $4.75B all-cash purchase from KKR and the company’s intent to scale CoolIT’s tech globally; this confirms prior reports that Ecolab was pursuing a large data-center cooling acquisition. Ecolab to acquire CoolIT Systems for $4.75 billion
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction and near-term pressure — shares slipped after the announcement as investors appeared concerned about the sizable cash payment, potential strain on capital allocation and integration execution risk. Ecolab Unleashes $4.75 Billion CoolIT Buy For AI Cooling
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst / forecasting headwinds — at least one firm has issued a cautious outlook on Ecolab following the deal, citing valuation and earnings-per-share risk from the transaction and execution uncertainty. Wells Fargo & Company Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Stock Price

Ecolab Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE ECL opened at $256.55 on Friday. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $286.63 and a 200-day moving average price of $274.04. Ecolab has a 1 year low of $221.62 and a 1 year high of $309.27. The stock has a market cap of $72.34 billion, a PE ratio of 35.24, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 0.97. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 1.08 and a quick ratio of 0.81.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The basic materials company reported $2.08 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.07 by $0.01. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.73% and a net margin of 12.91%.The firm had revenue of $4.19 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.20 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.81 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly 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. Equities analysts anticipate that Ecolab will post 7.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 17th will be issued a dividend of $0.73 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, March 17th. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.1%. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 40.11%.

About Ecolab

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.