Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Issues Q3 2026 Earnings Guidance

Key Points

• Ecolab issued Q3 2026 EPS guidance of $2.13–$2.23, below the analyst consensus estimate of $2.27.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $324.06; several firms recently raised their targets or upgraded the stock.
• Ecolab’s shares opened at $271.19, while the company maintains a quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share, equivalent to a $2.92 annualized payout and a 1.1% yield.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL - Get Free Report) updated its third quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday morning. The company provided EPS guidance of 2.130-2.230 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 2.270. The company issued revenue guidance of -.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of equities research analysts have commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their target price on Ecolab from $352.00 to $345.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. Citigroup boosted their target price on Ecolab from $325.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Ecolab from $260.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 10th. Oppenheimer raised shares of Ecolab from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $320.00 target price for the company in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Finally, UBS Group raised Ecolab from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their price target for the company from $293.00 to $325.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 27th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $324.06.

Ecolab Stock Up 0.9%

ECL opened at $271.19 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 0.99 and a quick ratio of 0.73. Ecolab has a 12 month low of $243.15 and a 12 month high of $309.27. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $267.06 and its 200 day moving average price is $273.19. The stock has a market cap of $76.32 billion, a P/E ratio of 36.70, a P/E/G ratio of 2.34 and a beta of 0.89.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The basic materials company reported $2.09 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.08 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $4.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.39 billion. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.64% and a net margin of 12.80%.Ecolab has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 2.130-2.230 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Ecolab will post 8.18 earnings per share for the current year.

Ecolab Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, June 16th were paid a dividend of $0.73 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, June 16th. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. Ecolab's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 39.51%.

Insider Buying and Selling at Ecolab

In related news, COO Darrell R. Brown sold 10,000 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $260.89, for a total transaction of $2,608,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer owned 32,733 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $8,539,712.37. This trade represents a 23.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Michel D. Doukeris acquired 7,750 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $258.00 per share, with a total value of $1,999,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director directly owned 8,326 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,148,108. This represents a 1,345.49% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders purchased 10,550 shares of company stock worth $2,719,508. 0.50% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ecolab

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ECL. Wexford Capital LP acquired a new stake in shares of Ecolab in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Ecolab in the third quarter valued at about $26,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Ecolab in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Ecolab in the fourth quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, FSA Wealth Management LLC grew its position in shares of Ecolab by 88.7% in the 3rd quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC now owns 117 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $32,000 after acquiring an additional 55 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.91% of the company's stock.

About Ecolab

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.

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