Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Updates FY 2026 Earnings Guidance

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) issued an update on its FY 2026 earnings guidance on Monday. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of 8.030-8.230 for the period, compared to the consensus EPS estimate of 8.370. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Ecolab Stock Performance

NYSE ECL opened at $283.17 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.99 and a quick ratio of 0.73. Ecolab has a 1-year low of $243.15 and a 1-year high of $309.27. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $262.51 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $272.33. The stock has a market capitalization of $79.70 billion, a PE ratio of 38.32, a P/E/G ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 0.89.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The basic materials company reported $1.70 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.70. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.64% and a net margin of 12.80%.The firm had revenue of $4.07 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.03 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $1.50 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue 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. On average, research analysts predict that Ecolab will post 8.45 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 16th will be given a dividend of $0.73 per share. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 16th. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio is currently 39.51%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently commented on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded Ecolab from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $325.00 price target for the company in a research report on Monday, April 20th. UBS Group raised Ecolab from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $293.00 to $325.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. Weiss Ratings downgraded Ecolab from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Royal Bank Of Canada reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $337.00 price objective on shares of Ecolab in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. Finally, Citigroup raised their target price on shares of Ecolab from $325.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Ecolab currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $323.71.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Michel D. Doukeris acquired 7,750 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was bought at an average price of $258.00 per share, for a total transaction of $1,999,500.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 8,326 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,148,108. This represents a 1,345.49% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director David Maclennan bought 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 13th. The stock was bought at an average price of $250.65 per share, for a total transaction of $250,650.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 25,230 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,323,899.50. This represents a 4.13% increase in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have bought 10,550 shares of company stock valued at $2,719,508. Insiders own 0.50% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Ecolab

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Janus Henderson Group PLC lifted its position in shares of Ecolab by 104.7% in the 4th quarter. Janus Henderson Group PLC now owns 1,591,274 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $417,747,000 after purchasing an additional 813,996 shares during the period. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. increased its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 195.9% in the 3rd quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 670,778 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $183,699,000 after acquiring an additional 444,053 shares during the period. Morgan Stanley lifted its stake in shares of Ecolab by 5.9% during the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 7,883,084 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $2,069,468,000 after purchasing an additional 441,747 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in Ecolab by 115.6% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 727,370 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $193,753,000 after purchasing an additional 389,981 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Man Group plc grew its stake in Ecolab by 66.3% in the second quarter. Man Group plc now owns 542,380 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $146,139,000 after purchasing an additional 216,273 shares during the last quarter. 74.91% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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.