Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) Shares Sold by Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC

Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC reduced its position in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) by 6.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 7,856 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after selling 561 shares during the period. Clifford Swan Investment Counsel LLC’s holdings in Ecolab were worth $1,558,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of ECL. First Personal Financial Services acquired a new position in Ecolab during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC lifted its position in Ecolab by 150.0% during the 4th quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 135 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 81 shares in the last quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC acquired a new position in Ecolab during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. OFI Invest Asset Management acquired a new position in Ecolab during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Finally, Knuff & Co LLC acquired a new position in Ecolab during the 4th quarter worth approximately $40,000. 74.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Ecolab Stock Up 0.6 %

NYSE:ECL traded up $1.45 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $228.95. 968,598 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,210,318. The firm has a market cap of $65.38 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.13, a P/E/G ratio of 2.56 and a beta of 1.09. Ecolab Inc. has a twelve month low of $156.72 and a twelve month high of $231.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92, a quick ratio of 0.99 and a current ratio of 1.41. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $224.62 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $203.51.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, April 30th. The basic materials company reported $1.34 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.33 by $0.01. Ecolab had a return on equity of 20.56% and a net margin of 10.01%. The company had revenue of $3.75 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.74 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $0.88 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 5.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts expect that Ecolab Inc. will post 6.58 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, June 18th will be given a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.00%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, June 18th. Ecolab’s payout ratio is currently 42.22%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently commented on ECL. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Ecolab from $220.00 to $225.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 1st. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on Ecolab from $238.00 to $260.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 1st. Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on Ecolab from $232.00 to $243.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 1st. Seaport Res Ptn downgraded Ecolab from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, January 8th. Finally, Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Ecolab in a report on Friday, March 1st. They set a “peer perform” rating on the stock. Eleven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $236.88.

About Ecolab

Ecolab Inc provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Global Industrial; Global Institutional & Specialty; and Global Healthcare & Life Sciences. The Global Industrial segment offers water treatment and process applications, and cleaning and sanitizing solutions to manufacturing, food and beverage processing, transportation, chemical, metals and mining, power generation, pulp and paper, commercial laundry, petroleum, refining, and petrochemical industries.