Citigroup Issues Positive Forecast for Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Stock Price

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) had its price target increased by Citigroup from $315.00 to $324.00 in a research report released on Wednesday morning,Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the basic materials company’s stock.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $250.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th. BMO Capital Markets set a $307.00 price objective on Ecolab and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Erste Group Bank started coverage on Ecolab in a research note on Tuesday, October 14th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Ecolab from $270.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 14th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Ecolab in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have given a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $296.00.

Ecolab Price Performance

ECL stock opened at $279.79 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $79.25 billion, a PE ratio of 40.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 0.99. The company has a current ratio of 1.70, a quick ratio of 1.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $266.43 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $269.26. Ecolab has a 12-month low of $221.62 and a 12-month high of $286.04.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, October 28th. The basic materials company reported $2.07 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $2.07. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.55% and a net margin of 12.49%.The business had revenue of $4.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.12 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $2.57 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 4.2% compared to the same quarter last year. Ecolab has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 2.020-2.120 EPS and its FY 2025 guidance at 7.480-7.580 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Ecolab will post 7.54 EPS for the current year.

Ecolab Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 16th were given a $0.73 dividend. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a dividend 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 presently 41.95%.

Insider Transactions at Ecolab

In related news, EVP Boo Alexander A. De sold 1,422 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction dated 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 Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Christophe Beck sold 21,714 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $261.41, for a total value of $5,676,256.74. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 72,644 shares in the company, valued at $18,989,868.04. The trade was a 23.01% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Corporate insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Ecolab

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. 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 position in shares of Ecolab during the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Financial Connections Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Corundum Trust Company INC bought a new stake in shares of Ecolab in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, J.Safra Asset Management Corp boosted its position in Ecolab by 202.6% during the 2nd quarter. J.Safra Asset Management Corp now owns 115 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 77 shares during the period. 74.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.