Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Price Target Cut to $296.00 by Analysts at Robert W. Baird

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) had its target price decreased by equities research analysts at Robert W. Baird from $320.00 to $296.00 in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an “outperform” rating on the basic materials company’s stock. Robert W. Baird’s price objective indicates a potential upside of 11.05% from the company’s current price.

Several other brokerages have also commented on ECL. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their price objective on Ecolab from $310.00 to $285.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, March 18th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $325.00 price target on shares of Ecolab and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $294.00 to $337.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Mizuho set a $335.00 target price on shares of Ecolab in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on shares of Ecolab from $323.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, February 13th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $323.56.

Ecolab Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE ECL traded up $5.41 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $266.54. 788,141 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,399,423. The company has a quick ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 1.08 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $286.44 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $273.95. Ecolab has a twelve month low of $221.62 and a twelve month high of $309.27. The firm has a market cap of $75.16 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.56, a PEG ratio of 2.11 and a beta of 0.97.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 10th. The basic materials company reported $2.08 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.07 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $4.19 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.20 billion. Ecolab had a net margin of 12.91% and a return on equity of 22.73%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.81 earnings per share. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.670-1.730 EPS. As a group, analysts anticipate that Ecolab will post 7.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, Director Tracy B. Mckibben sold 1,265 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $308.66, for a total value of $390,454.90. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 11,358 shares in the company, valued at $3,505,760.28. This represents a 10.02% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Christophe Beck sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $307.37, for a total transaction of $6,147,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 90,794 shares in the company, valued at approximately $27,907,351.78. This represents a 18.05% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. 0.04% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ECL. Wexford Capital LP purchased a new stake in Ecolab in the third quarter valued at $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab during the 3rd quarter worth $26,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Ecolab during the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Corundum Trust Company INC purchased a new stake in Ecolab in the 3rd quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Ecolab in the 4th quarter valued at about $29,000. 74.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.