Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Director David Maclennan Purchases 1,000 Shares of Stock

Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) Director David Maclennan bought 1,000 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 13th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $250.65 per share, with a total value of $250,650.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 25,230 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,323,899.50. This represents a 4.13% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link.

David Maclennan also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Monday, May 4th, David Maclennan bought 800 shares of Ecolab stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $256.91 per share, with a total value of $205,528.00.

Ecolab Stock Performance

Shares of Ecolab stock opened at $249.14 on Friday. Ecolab Inc. has a one year low of $248.60 and a one year high of $309.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 0.99. The company has a market capitalization of $70.12 billion, a PE ratio of 33.71, a P/E/G ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $267.61 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $272.05.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 28th. The basic materials company reported $1.70 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting the consensus estimate of $1.70. Ecolab had a net margin of 12.80% and a return on equity of 22.64%. The firm had revenue of $4.07 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.03 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $1.50 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.020-2.120 EPS. Research analysts expect that Ecolab Inc. will post 8.5 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 16th will be issued a dividend of $0.73 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 16th. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.2%. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio is 39.51%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ecolab

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Wexford Capital LP purchased a new stake in Ecolab in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Costello Asset Management INC purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research firms have recently issued reports on ECL. Evercore restated an “outperform” rating and set a $312.00 price objective on shares of Ecolab in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on shares of Ecolab from $315.00 to $352.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. Citigroup cut their price target on shares of Ecolab from $330.00 to $325.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, April 30th. BNP Paribas Exane reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $345.00 price target (up from $330.00) on shares of Ecolab in a report on Thursday, February 12th. Finally, Robert W. Baird cut their price target on shares of Ecolab from $320.00 to $296.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Ecolab presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $322.53.

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.