Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Stock Price Expected to Rise, JPMorgan Chase & Co. Analyst Says

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) had its target price hoisted by investment analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $265.00 to $295.00 in a report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “neutral” rating on the basic materials company’s stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s price objective indicates a potential downside of 1.95% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other analysts have also issued reports on ECL. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their target price on Ecolab from $300.00 to $337.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Erste Group Bank cut Ecolab from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, January 23rd. UBS Group increased their target price on Ecolab from $295.00 to $312.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets set a $307.00 target price on Ecolab and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Ecolab from $275.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $319.50.

Ecolab Stock Down 0.9%

Shares of ECL opened at $300.87 on Wednesday. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $273.21 and its 200 day moving average price is $271.35. Ecolab has a 12-month low of $221.62 and a 12-month high of $306.52. The company has a current ratio of 1.08, a quick ratio of 1.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75. The firm has a market cap of $85.22 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.60 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 for the quarter, beating 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 analysts’ expectations of $4.20 billion. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.81 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.670-1.730 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Ecolab will post 7.54 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Ecolab

In other news, Director David Maclennan purchased 750 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, December 8th. The stock was bought at an average price of $257.60 per share, for a total transaction of $193,200.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 23,035 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,933,816. The trade was a 3.37% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Boo Alexander A. De sold 1,422 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $268.25, for a total transaction of $381,451.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 5,726 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,535,999.50. This represents a 19.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ecolab

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of ECL. Brighton Jones LLC increased its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 164.7% in the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 3,700 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $867,000 after acquiring an additional 2,302 shares during the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Ecolab by 39.8% in the second quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,384 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $373,000 after purchasing an additional 394 shares in the last quarter. IFP Advisors Inc increased its stake in Ecolab by 11.3% in the second quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,178 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $318,000 after purchasing an additional 120 shares during the last quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Ecolab by 9.9% during the second quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC now owns 4,960 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,337,000 after purchasing an additional 447 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CWM LLC lifted its position in shares of Ecolab by 75.2% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 22,932 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $6,179,000 after buying an additional 9,842 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

Ecolab News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Ecolab this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Several brokerages raised price targets and/or reiterated favorable ratings, signaling analyst confidence in upside (Jefferies raised its target to $352 with a “buy”; BNP Paribas Exane reaffirmed “outperform” at $345; RBC raised to $337; Wells Fargo to $310). These upgrades support further upside potential. Analyst Moves
• Positive Sentiment: Q4 earnings: Ecolab slightly beat EPS expectations (reported $2.08 vs. $2.07 est.), posted revenue growth (~4.8% y/y) and set FY2026 and Q1 guidance — results that helped the stock hit a new 1-year high earlier this week. Earnings / 1-Year High
• Neutral Sentiment: Q4 earnings call transcript is available for investors seeking management detail on growth drivers, margins and guidance execution; useful for assessing whether management can deliver the guided EPS range. Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparative coverage and broader analyses (head-to-head with Toray, and a Yahoo/analysis piece on recent developments) provide context but don’t change the core thesis — they’re useful for relative valuation and competitive positioning checks. Comparative Review What Recent Developments Mean
• Negative Sentiment: A critical view from Seeking Alpha argues Ecolab lacks sufficient organic growth to justify upgrades — a narrative that can weigh on sentiment, especially given the stock’s recent run. Seeking Alpha Critique
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and positioning risks: Ecolab trades at a premium (high PE ~41, PEG ~2.6) and volume spiked above average — factors that can prompt near-term profit-taking if growth catalysts disappoint or guidance execution falters. Valuation Note

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.