Wells Fargo & Company Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Stock

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) had its target price upped by research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from $275.00 to $310.00 in a report released on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an “equal weight” rating on the basic materials company’s stock. Wells Fargo & Company‘s price objective indicates a potential upside of 3.04% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts also recently issued reports on the company. BMO Capital Markets set a $307.00 price objective on Ecolab and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 30th. Mizuho set a $335.00 price target on Ecolab in a report on Wednesday. Citigroup lifted their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $324.00 to $345.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Ecolab from $291.00 to $295.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their price target on shares of Ecolab from $250.00 to $265.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Fourteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $319.50.

Ecolab Trading Down 0.9%

NYSE ECL opened at $300.87 on Wednesday. The firm 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. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $273.21 and its two-hundred day moving average price 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.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The basic materials company reported $2.08 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.07 by $0.01. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.73% and a net margin of 12.91%.The company had revenue of $4.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.20 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.81 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly 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. On average, analysts expect that Ecolab will post 7.54 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, EVP Boo Alexander A. De sold 1,422 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 sale, the executive vice president directly owned 5,726 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,535,999.50. This represents a 19.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director David Maclennan bought 750 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated 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. This represents a 3.37% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ecolab

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Brighton Jones LLC lifted its holdings in Ecolab by 164.7% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 3,700 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $867,000 after acquiring an additional 2,302 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Ecolab by 39.8% during the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 1,384 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $373,000 after purchasing an additional 394 shares during the period. IFP Advisors Inc boosted its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 11.3% in the 2nd quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 1,178 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $318,000 after buying an additional 120 shares during the last quarter. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC grew its position 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 valued at $1,337,000 after buying an additional 447 shares during the period. Finally, CWM LLC increased its holdings in Ecolab by 75.2% during the second 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.

Key Stories Impacting 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.