Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Royal Bank Of Canada Analyst Says

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) had its price objective raised by equities research analysts at Royal Bank Of Canada from $294.00 to $337.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an “outperform” rating on the basic materials company’s stock. Royal Bank Of Canada’s price objective indicates a potential upside of 12.01% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other brokerages also recently issued reports on ECL. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Ecolab from $275.00 to $310.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets set a $307.00 target price on Ecolab and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. UBS Group increased their price target on Ecolab from $295.00 to $312.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on Ecolab from $300.00 to $337.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Mizuho set a $335.00 price objective on Ecolab in a report on Wednesday. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Ecolab presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $319.50.

Ecolab Stock Down 0.9%

Shares of ECL opened at $300.87 on Wednesday. The business’s 50 day moving average is $273.21 and its 200 day moving average is $271.35. The company has a current ratio of 1.08, a quick ratio of 1.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75. Ecolab has a 12-month low of $221.62 and a 12-month high of $306.52. The company has a market capitalization of $85.22 billion, a PE ratio of 41.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.60 and a beta of 0.99.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The basic materials company reported $2.08 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.07 by $0.01. The business had revenue of $4.19 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.20 billion. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.73% and a net margin of 12.91%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $1.81 EPS. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.670-1.730 EPS. Research analysts expect that Ecolab will post 7.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Boo Alexander A. De sold 1,422 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $268.25, for a total value of $381,451.50. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 5,726 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,535,999.50. This trade represents a 19.89% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director David Maclennan purchased 750 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 8th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $257.60 per share, with a total value of $193,200.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 23,035 shares in the company, valued at $5,933,816. This trade represents a 3.37% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. 0.04% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Ecolab

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ECL. JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its stake in shares of Ecolab by 63.1% during the fourth quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 10,622,035 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $2,788,497,000 after buying an additional 4,110,472 shares during the last quarter. Capital World Investors bought a new position in Ecolab in the 4th quarter valued at $1,022,334,000. Norges Bank purchased a new stake in Ecolab in the fourth quarter worth $880,506,000. Vanguard Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of Ecolab by 2.1% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 25,190,115 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $6,898,565,000 after purchasing an additional 527,902 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Balyasny Asset Management L.P. boosted its stake in shares of Ecolab by 195.9% during the third quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 670,778 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $183,699,000 after purchasing an additional 444,053 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Ecolab

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.