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

Shares of Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) have been given an average recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-one ratings firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, seventeen have given a buy recommendation and one has given a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $323.7059.

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. UBS Group raised shares of Ecolab from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $293.00 to $325.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Ecolab from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $295.00 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. Royal Bank Of Canada reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $337.00 price target on shares of Ecolab in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. Robert W. Baird cut their price target on shares of Ecolab from $320.00 to $296.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on shares of Ecolab from $352.00 to $345.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, May 20th.

Ecolab Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:ECL opened at $283.71 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $79.85 billion, a PE ratio of 38.39, a PEG ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 0.90. The company’s fifty day moving average is $261.68 and its 200 day moving average is $271.59. Ecolab has a 52 week low of $243.15 and a 52 week high of $309.27. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The basic materials company reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.70. The business had revenue of $4.07 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.03 billion. Ecolab had a net margin of 12.80% and a return on equity of 22.64%. The company’s revenue was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.50 EPS. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.020-2.120 EPS. Research analysts anticipate that Ecolab will post 8.47 earnings per share for the current year.

Ecolab Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 16th will be issued a $0.73 dividend. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 16th. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 39.51%.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Michel D. Doukeris bought 7,750 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $258.00 per share, with a total value of $1,999,500.00. Following the purchase, the director owned 8,326 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,148,108. This trade represents a 1,345.49% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, COO Darrell R. Brown sold 10,000 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $260.89, for a total transaction of $2,608,900.00. Following the sale, the chief operating officer directly owned 32,733 shares in the company, valued at $8,539,712.37. The trade was a 23.40% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last three months, insiders have purchased 10,550 shares of company stock worth $2,719,508. 0.50% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ecolab

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of ECL. Wexford Capital LP bought a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Costello Asset Management INC bought a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the 1st quarter valued at about $27,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the 4th quarter valued at about $27,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. Institutional investors own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

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.