Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Releases Earnings Results, Hits Estimates

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday. The basic materials company reported $1.81 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.81, Zacks reports. Ecolab had a net margin of 13.05% and a return on equity of 22.12%. Ecolab updated its FY 2025 guidance to 7.420-7.620 EPS and its Q1 2025 guidance to 1.470-1.530 EPS.

Ecolab Stock Performance

Shares of Ecolab stock traded up $19.38 on Tuesday, reaching $265.32. 1,069,320 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,168,723. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 1.30 and a quick ratio of 0.97. The firm has a market capitalization of $75.13 billion, a PE ratio of 37.23, a PEG ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 1.14. The company has a 50 day moving average of $241.80 and a 200 day moving average of $245.97. Ecolab has a 52 week low of $201.99 and a 52 week high of $267.56.

Ecolab Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 17th were paid a $0.65 dividend. This represents a $2.60 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.98%. This is a boost from Ecolab’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.57. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 17th. Ecolab’s payout ratio is presently 36.47%.

Insider Activity at Ecolab

In related news, major shareholder William H. Gates III sold 83,873 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $245.96, for a total value of $20,629,403.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 29,534,868 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,264,396,133.28. This trade represents a 0.28 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 360,415 shares of company stock worth $88,350,899. Insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently commented on the company. BMO Capital Markets raised Ecolab from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and boosted their target price for the company from $279.00 to $290.00 in a research report on Tuesday, December 17th. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on Ecolab from $271.00 to $279.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. Piper Sandler reduced their price target on shares of Ecolab from $305.00 to $270.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, January 7th. UBS Group downgraded Ecolab from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $276.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Monday, November 4th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised Ecolab from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their target price for the company from $263.00 to $280.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 28th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $278.60.

Ecolab Company Profile

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.