Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Director Suzanne Vautrinot Sells 1,004 Shares of Stock

Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) Director Suzanne Vautrinot sold 1,004 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $264.98, for a total transaction of $266,039.92. Following the transaction, the director owned 11,651 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,087,281.98. This trade represents a 7.93% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

Ecolab Stock Performance

Shares of ECL stock opened at $263.17 on Thursday. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $262.30 and its 200 day simple moving average is $271.48. Ecolab Inc. has a one year low of $243.15 and a one year high of $309.27. The stock has a market capitalization of $74.07 billion, a PE ratio of 35.61, a PEG ratio of 2.10 and a beta of 0.92. 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 (NYSE:ECL) last posted its quarterly earnings data 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 net margin of 12.80% and a return on equity of 22.64%. The company had revenue of $4.07 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.03 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.50 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.020-2.120 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Ecolab Inc. will post 8.47 earnings per share for the current year.

Ecolab Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 16th will be paid a $0.73 dividend. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 16th. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio is currently 39.51%.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts have recently weighed in on ECL shares. Mizuho set a $335.00 price objective on Ecolab in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $330.00 price objective on shares of Ecolab in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Citigroup lowered their price objective on Ecolab from $330.00 to $325.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 30th. Berenberg Bank raised Ecolab from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $326.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Monday, March 16th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on Ecolab from $323.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, February 13th. 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 company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $322.53.

Institutional Trading of Ecolab

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Wexford Capital LP acquired a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Costello Asset Management INC acquired a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the 1st quarter worth approximately $27,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the 4th quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

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.