Ecolab Inc. $ECL Shares Sold by Corient Private Wealth LP

Key Points

• Corient Private Wealth reduced its Ecolab stake by 10.3% in the second quarter, selling 97,463 shares and retaining 850,058 shares worth approximately $236.8 million. Institutional investors collectively own 74.91% of Ecolab.
• Ecolab reported second-quarter earnings of $2.09 per share and revenue of $4.42 billion, slightly exceeding analyst expectations, with revenue up 9.7% year over year. Management guided for third-quarter EPS of $2.13 to $2.23.
• Analyst sentiment remains favorable, with Ecolab carrying a “Moderate Buy” consensus rating and a $327.56 average price target, though cost pressures and recent stock underperformance remain risks. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share.

Corient Private Wealth LP reduced its position in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL - Free Report) by 10.3% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 850,058 shares of the basic materials company's stock after selling 97,463 shares during the period. Corient Private Wealth LP owned about 0.30% of Ecolab worth $236,839,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the business. Wexford Capital LP purchased a new stake in shares of Ecolab in the third quarter valued at $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Ecolab during the third quarter worth about $26,000. Costello Asset Management INC purchased a new position in Ecolab during the first quarter worth about $27,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Ecolab in the 4th quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, J.Safra Asset Management Corp purchased a new stake in Ecolab in the 2nd quarter valued at about $28,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.91% of the company's stock.

Ecolab News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Ecolab this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Unusually heavy call-option buying suggests increased bullish interest. Traders purchased 2,926 call options, approximately 241% above the average volume of 858 contracts, although options activity does not guarantee a sustained stock move.
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded Ecolab from “strong sell” to “hold,” reducing a significant source of negative analyst sentiment. Ecolab upgraded by Zacks Research
• Positive Sentiment: Ecolab’s growth profile continues to benefit from high-tech customers, digital expansion and innovation. The company also delivered solid second-quarter results, with revenue growth and earnings slightly exceeding consensus estimates. Here's Why You Should Retain Ecolab Stock in Your Portfolio Now
• Neutral Sentiment: Management’s third-quarter earnings guidance of $2.13 to $2.23 per share provides a framework for continued profit growth, while analysts project full-year earnings of $8.17 per share.
• Negative Sentiment: Cost fluctuations remain a key risk because they could pressure margins and offset benefits from digital initiatives, innovation and revenue growth.
• Negative Sentiment: Ecolab underperformed its competitors during the latest session, and the stock recently experienced additional selling pressure. The relative weakness suggests investors remain cautious despite the company’s fundamentally solid results. Ecolab Inc. stock underperforms Wednesday when compared to competitors

Analyst Ratings Changes

ECL has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Oppenheimer upgraded shares of Ecolab from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $320.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Friday, July 17th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Ecolab from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price target on shares of Ecolab from $325.00 to $335.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of Ecolab from $325.00 to $330.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. Finally, Mizuho lifted their price target on shares of Ecolab from $325.00 to $327.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seventeen have given a Buy rating and three have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Ecolab presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $327.56.

Ecolab Stock Down 0.2%

ECL opened at $271.72 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $278.51 and a 200 day moving average price of $272.23. The company has a market cap of $76.17 billion, a PE ratio of 36.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 0.88. Ecolab Inc. has a 1 year low of $243.15 and a 1 year high of $309.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18, a quick ratio of 1.57 and a current ratio of 1.84.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 28th. The basic materials company reported $2.09 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.08 by $0.01. Ecolab had a net margin of 12.57% and a return on equity of 22.72%. The firm had revenue of $4.42 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $4.38 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.89 earnings per share. Ecolab's revenue was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Ecolab has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 2.130-2.230 EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that Ecolab Inc. will post 8.17 earnings per share for the current year.

Ecolab Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, October 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 15th will be issued a $0.73 dividend. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.1%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, September 15th. Ecolab's dividend payout ratio is currently 39.19%.

Insider Activity at Ecolab

In other news, CEO Christophe Beck sold 17,862 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.14, for a total value of $5,003,860.68. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 72,932 shares of the company's stock, valued at $20,431,170.48. This represents a 19.67% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.50% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Ecolab Company Profile

Ecolab Inc NYSE: ECL provides water, hygiene, infection prevention and technology solutions to businesses and institutions worldwide. Its customers include restaurants, hotels, hospitals, manufacturers, food and beverage companies, retailers and other organizations that rely on safe, efficient and sustainable operating environments.

The company's offerings include cleaning and sanitizing products, water-treatment and process-management systems, food-safety programs, infection-prevention solutions and pest-elimination services.

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