Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Given New $345.00 Price Target at Bank of America

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) had its price objective upped by Bank of America from $337.00 to $345.00 in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. Bank of America currently has a buy rating on the basic materials company’s stock.

A number of other analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $330.00 price target on shares of Ecolab in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on shares of Ecolab from $320.00 to $296.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. Berenberg Bank raised shares of Ecolab from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $326.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, March 16th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $300.00 to $337.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $312.00 to $293.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 9th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have given a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $322.82.

Ecolab Price Performance

Shares of Ecolab stock opened at $270.99 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75, a current ratio of 1.08 and a quick ratio of 0.81. Ecolab has a fifty-two week low of $233.73 and a fifty-two week high of $309.27. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $280.66 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $273.73. The company has a market cap of $76.53 billion, a PE ratio of 37.22, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 1.02.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last issued 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 firm had revenue of $4.19 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.20 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $1.81 EPS. The business’s revenue 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. Analysts expect that Ecolab will post 8.46 EPS for the current year.

Ecolab Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 17th were given a dividend of $0.73 per share. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, March 17th. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Ecolab’s payout ratio is currently 40.11%.

Insider Activity at Ecolab

In related news, Director Tracy B. Mckibben sold 1,265 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $308.66, for a total transaction of $390,454.90. Following the transaction, the director owned 11,358 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,505,760.28. This trade represents a 10.02% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Christophe Beck sold 20,000 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $307.37, for a total transaction of $6,147,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 90,794 shares in the company, valued at $27,907,351.78. The trade was a 18.05% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 0.50% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of ECL. Wexford Capital LP bought a new position in Ecolab in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Ecolab in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. bought a new position in Ecolab in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Corundum Trust Company INC bought a new position in Ecolab in the third quarter valued at approximately $28,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in Ecolab in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Institutional investors own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

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.