Fjarde AP Fonden Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund Has $31.17 Million Stake in Ecolab Inc. $ECL

Key Points

• Fjarde AP Fonden increased its Ecolab stake by 47.8% in the first quarter, buying an additional 37,914 shares and bringing its total holding to 117,159 shares worth about $31.17 million.
• Ecolab reported quarterly EPS of $1.70, matching analyst estimates, while revenue came in at $4.07 billion, above expectations and up 10% year over year.
• The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share payable July 15, and analyst sentiment remains positive with an average rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $323.71.

Fjarde AP Fonden Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund grew its stake in shares of Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL - Free Report) by 47.8% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 117,159 shares of the basic materials company's stock after buying an additional 37,914 shares during the period. Fjarde AP Fonden Fourth Swedish National Pension Fund's holdings in Ecolab were worth $31,167,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. 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 position in Ecolab during the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new position in Ecolab during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in Ecolab in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Union Savings Bank acquired a new stake in Ecolab in the fourth quarter worth $30,000. 74.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Ecolab Trading Up 1.7%

Shares of NYSE:ECL opened at $283.17 on Friday. Ecolab Inc. has a 12 month low of $243.15 and a 12 month high of $309.27. The company has a quick ratio of 0.73, a current ratio of 0.99 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. The company's fifty day simple moving average is $262.22 and its 200 day simple moving average is $272.17. The firm has a market cap of $79.69 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.32, a PEG ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 0.89.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 28th. The basic materials company reported $1.70 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $1.70. The firm had revenue of $4.07 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.03 billion. Ecolab had a net margin of 12.80% and a return on equity of 22.64%. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 10.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.50 EPS. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.020-2.120 EPS. As a group, research analysts forecast that Ecolab Inc. will post 8.45 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Dividend Announcement

The company 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. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.0%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, June 16th. Ecolab's dividend payout ratio is currently 39.51%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have recently weighed in on ECL shares. Robert W. Baird reduced their price target on shares of Ecolab from $320.00 to $296.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised Ecolab from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $295.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 24th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on Ecolab from $260.00 to $275.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, June 10th. Citigroup boosted their target price on Ecolab from $325.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price target on Ecolab from $352.00 to $345.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, May 20th. One 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 MarketBeat.com, Ecolab presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $323.71.

Insider Buying and Selling at Ecolab

In other Ecolab 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 transaction of $2,608,900.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer owned 32,733 shares of the company's stock, valued at $8,539,712.37. This represents a 23.40% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, Director Michel D. Doukeris purchased 7,750 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $258.00 per share, with a total value of $1,999,500.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director directly owned 8,326 shares in the company, valued at approximately $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. Insiders purchased 10,550 shares of company stock valued at $2,719,508 in the last 90 days. 0.50% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Ecolab Company Profile

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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