Ecolab Inc. $ECL Shares Bought by Howland Capital Management LLC

Key Points

• Howland Capital Management increased its Ecolab stake by 7.2% in the fourth quarter, bringing its holdings to 180,222 shares worth about $47.4 million.
• Ecolab’s latest quarter met EPS expectations and slightly beat revenue estimates, while the company also reiterated full-year guidance for FY2026.
• The company declared a quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share, equal to an annualized yield of about 1.1%, while insider activity was mixed with a COO sale and a director purchase.

Howland Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL - Free Report) by 7.2% during the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 180,222 shares of the basic materials company's stock after purchasing an additional 12,126 shares during the quarter. Ecolab makes up about 1.8% of Howland Capital Management LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 13th biggest holding. Howland Capital Management LLC owned approximately 0.06% of Ecolab worth $47,441,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in ECL. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 63.1% during the 4th quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 10,622,035 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $2,788,497,000 after acquiring an additional 4,110,472 shares during the period. Capital World Investors purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab during the 4th quarter worth $1,022,334,000. Norges Bank purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab during the 4th quarter worth $880,506,000. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 2.1% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 25,190,115 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $6,898,565,000 after acquiring an additional 527,902 shares during the period. Finally, Balyasny Asset Management L.P. raised its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 195.9% during the 3rd quarter. Balyasny Asset Management L.P. now owns 670,778 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $183,699,000 after acquiring an additional 444,053 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.91% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, COO Darrell R. Brown sold 10,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $260.89, for a total value of $2,608,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer directly owned 32,733 shares of the company's stock, valued at $8,539,712.37. This represents a 23.40% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Michel D. Doukeris purchased 7,750 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was acquired at an average cost 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 ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information. In the last ninety days, insiders acquired 9,550 shares of company stock valued at $2,455,678. Corporate insiders own 0.50% of the company's stock.

Ecolab Stock Performance

Shares of Ecolab stock opened at $265.53 on Friday. Ecolab Inc. has a one year low of $243.15 and a one year high of $309.27. The company has a market cap of $74.73 billion, a PE ratio of 35.93, a P/E/G ratio of 2.18 and a beta of 0.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a quick ratio of 0.73 and a current ratio of 0.99. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $260.97 and a 200-day simple moving average of $271.27.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 28th. The basic materials company reported $1.70 EPS for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $1.70. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.64% and a net margin of 12.80%.The business had revenue of $4.07 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.03 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.50 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 10.0% on a year-over-year basis. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.020-2.120 EPS. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Ecolab Inc. will post 8.47 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 16th will be given a dividend of $0.73 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 16th. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Ecolab's payout ratio is currently 39.51%.

Ecolab News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Ecolab this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Director Michel Doukeris made a sizable purchase of 7,750 Ecolab shares at $258 each, a multi-million-dollar bet that can signal confidence in the company’s outlook. Michel Doukeris Acquires 7,750 Shares of Ecolab NYSE: ECL Stock
• Positive Sentiment: The company continues to show solid operating fundamentals, with its last quarterly earnings meeting EPS expectations and revenue coming in above estimates, while full-year guidance remains intact.
• Neutral Sentiment: Ecolab also confirmed a quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share, reinforcing its appeal as a steady income name rather than a pure growth story.
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst opinions remain mixed but generally favorable, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and a price target above current trading levels, though Erste Group recently trimmed its FY2026 and FY2027 EPS forecasts slightly.
• Negative Sentiment: COO Darrell Brown sold 10,000 shares, which can weigh on sentiment even though the sale appears to be relatively modest compared with his remaining stake. Ecolab NYSE: ECL COO Sells $2,608,900.00 in Stock
• Negative Sentiment: Some recent analyst commentary has focused on valuation concerns, suggesting Ecolab’s premium multiple could limit upside if growth expectations cool. Is S&P 500 Valuation Scrutiny Weighing on Ecolab's Premium?

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ECL has been the topic of several analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded Ecolab from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $295.00 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 24th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Ecolab from $260.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday. Bank of America lifted their price target on Ecolab from $337.00 to $345.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. Evercore restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $312.00 price objective on shares of Ecolab in a report on Wednesday, February 18th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada restated an "outperform" rating and issued a $337.00 price objective on shares of Ecolab in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Ecolab has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $323.41.

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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