Key Points
- Ecolab Director David Maclennan bought 600 shares at an average price of $308.12, spending $184,872. His stake rose 2.34% to 26,225 shares.
- Ecolab’s latest quarterly results showed EPS of $2.18, matching estimates, while revenue increased 12.7% year over year to $4.69 billion—slightly below forecasts.
- Analysts have a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and an average price target of $328.58; the stock opened at $304.55 after a reported 1.1% decline.
Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL - Get Free Report) Director David Maclennan acquired 600 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, November 12th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $308.12 per share, for a total transaction of $184,872.00. Following the acquisition, the director owned 26,225 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,080,447. This trade represents a 2.34% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link.
Ecolab Trading Down 1.1%
Shares of NYSE:ECL opened at $304.55 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $85.42 billion, a PE ratio of 41.44, a P/E/G ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 0.85. The company's 50-day moving average price is $285.88 and its 200 day moving average price is $277.42. Ecolab Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $243.15 and a fifty-two week high of $318.93. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.14.
Ecolab (NYSE:ECL - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, October 27th. The basic materials company reported $2.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts' consensus estimates of $2.18. Ecolab had a net margin of 11.99% and a return on equity of 22.57%. The firm had revenue of $4.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.70 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $2.07 EPS. Ecolab's revenue was up 12.7% on a year-over-year basis. Sell-side analysts anticipate that Ecolab Inc. will post 8.16 earnings per share for the current year.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
A number of research firms have recently weighed in on ECL. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Ecolab from $295.00 to $315.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, October 29th. Robert W. Baird set a $305.00 price objective on Ecolab and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Zacks Research raised Ecolab from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, September 7th. Citigroup raised their target price on Ecolab from $330.00 to $345.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 28th. Finally, UBS Group lifted their target price on Ecolab from $344.00 to $357.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 28th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $328.58.
View Our Latest Stock Report on Ecolab
Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ecolab
Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Thoroughbred Financial Services LLC grew its position in Ecolab by 3.9% in the 3rd quarter. Thoroughbred Financial Services LLC now owns 932 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $255,000 after buying an additional 35 shares in the last quarter. Studio Investment Management LLC raised its position in shares of Ecolab by 1.1% during the 2nd quarter. Studio Investment Management LLC now owns 3,576 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $999,000 after buying an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. Vancity Investment Management Ltd raised its position in shares of Ecolab by 1.4% during the 2nd quarter. Vancity Investment Management Ltd now owns 2,859 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $797,000 after buying an additional 39 shares in the last quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp raised its position in shares of Ecolab by 5.3% during the 3rd quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp now owns 798 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $219,000 after buying an additional 40 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Heartland Bank & Trust Co lifted its stake in shares of Ecolab by 3.8% in the 1st quarter. Heartland Bank & Trust Co now owns 1,117 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $297,000 after acquiring an additional 41 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.91% of the company's stock.
About Ecolab
(
Get Free Report)
Ecolab Inc. provides water, hygiene, cleaning and infection-prevention products and services to businesses and institutions. Its solutions help customers manage water use, maintain sanitary environments and support operational efficiency. The company serves a range of industries, including food and beverage, foodservice, hospitality, healthcare, life sciences and manufacturing. Its offerings include cleaning and sanitizing products, water-treatment programs, pest-elimination services, and related monitoring and consulting support.
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