Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Rating Lowered to Hold at StockNews.com

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) was downgraded by research analysts at StockNews.com from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday.

A number of other analysts have also recently weighed in on ECL. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Ecolab from $257.00 to $280.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Citigroup lifted their target price on Ecolab from $290.00 to $305.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 12th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Ecolab from $260.00 to $300.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, November 18th. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Ecolab from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $263.00 to $280.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 28th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Ecolab from $295.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, March 3rd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $288.00.

Ecolab Stock Down 1.7 %

Shares of NYSE:ECL opened at $250.78 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $70.97 billion, a PE ratio of 33.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 1.14. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $252.09 and a 200 day simple moving average of $249.95. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a current ratio of 1.26. Ecolab has a 52 week low of $217.05 and a 52 week high of $273.69.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 11th. The basic materials company reported $1.81 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.81. Ecolab had a net margin of 13.42% and a return on equity of 22.50%. As a group, research analysts expect that Ecolab will post 7.54 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Ecolab news, EVP Machiel Duijser sold 5,721 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $264.04, for a total transaction of $1,510,572.84. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 3,774 shares in the company, valued at $996,486.96. This trade represents a 60.25 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director David Maclennan acquired 400 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 13th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $264.51 per share, with a total value of $105,804.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 18,767 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,964,059.17. The trade was a 2.18 % increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 17,435 shares of company stock worth $4,637,985. Corporate insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ecolab

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ECL. Assetmark Inc. lifted its position in Ecolab by 14.2% in the third quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 7,182 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $1,834,000 after purchasing an additional 892 shares during the last quarter. Wolverine Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab during the third quarter valued at approximately $1,404,000. Nations Financial Group Inc. IA ADV purchased a new stake in Ecolab in the third quarter worth $420,000. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in Ecolab by 3.5% in the third quarter. Ashton Thomas Private Wealth LLC now owns 1,406 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $359,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Savvy Advisors Inc. increased its position in Ecolab by 9.1% during the 3rd quarter. Savvy Advisors Inc. now owns 1,578 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $403,000 after purchasing an additional 132 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

About Ecolab

Ecolab Inc provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Global Industrial; Global Institutional & Specialty; and Global Healthcare & Life Sciences. The Global Industrial segment offers water treatment and process applications, and cleaning and sanitizing solutions to manufacturing, food and beverage processing, transportation, chemical, metals and mining, power generation, pulp and paper, commercial laundry, petroleum, refining, and petrochemical industries.