Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) Receives $294.57 Average Target Price from Brokerages

08 Jan 2026, 03:52 by Jessica Moore · The Cerbat Gem

Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL – Get Free Report) has been given a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” by the twenty-one brokerages that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have assigned a buy rating and three have issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 12 month target price among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $294.8571.

ECL has been the topic of several research analyst reports. UBS Group upped their target price on shares of Ecolab from $291.00 to $295.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Erste Group Bank started coverage on shares of Ecolab in a research report on Tuesday, October 14th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on Ecolab from $250.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Citigroup dropped their price target on Ecolab from $323.00 to $315.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, December 18th. Finally, Mizuho set a $315.00 price objective on Ecolab in a research report on Wednesday, October 29th.

Get Our Latest Report on Ecolab

Ecolab Stock Down 1.0%

Ecolab stock opened at $268.85 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $76.15 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.63, a PEG ratio of 2.28 and a beta of 0.99. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $263.02 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $268.88. Ecolab has a 12 month low of $221.62 and a 12 month high of $286.04. The company has a current ratio of 1.70, a quick ratio of 1.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 28th. The basic materials company reported $2.07 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.07. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.55% and a net margin of 12.49%.The firm had revenue of $4.17 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.12 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $2.57 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 4.2% on a year-over-year basis. Ecolab has set its Q4 2025 guidance at 2.020-2.120 EPS and its FY 2025 guidance at 7.480-7.580 EPS. Equities analysts predict that Ecolab will post 7.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, January 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, December 16th will be given a dividend of $0.73 per share. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, December 16th. This is an increase from Ecolab’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. Ecolab’s payout ratio is currently 41.95%.

Insider Transactions at Ecolab

In other Ecolab news, Director David Maclennan acquired 750 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 8th. The shares were bought at an average price of $257.60 per share, with a total value of $193,200.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director owned 23,035 shares in the company, valued at $5,933,816. This represents a 3.37% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CEO Christophe Beck sold 21,714 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $261.41, for a total transaction of $5,676,256.74. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 72,644 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $18,989,868.04. This trade represents a 23.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Company insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ecolab

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Ecolab by 2.1% in the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 25,190,115 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $6,898,565,000 after buying an additional 527,902 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Ecolab by 0.4% during the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 5,479,529 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,469,019,000 after acquiring an additional 22,986 shares during the period. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC lifted its holdings in Ecolab by 4.0% during the first quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 3,805,952 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $964,885,000 after purchasing an additional 145,902 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank bought a new position in shares of Ecolab in the second quarter worth approximately $847,544,000. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. increased its stake in shares of Ecolab by 6.8% in the first quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 2,718,340 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $689,154,000 after purchasing an additional 173,298 shares in the last quarter. 74.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Ecolab

(Get Free Report)

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.