Neuberger Berman Group LLC Acquires 68,800 Shares of Ecolab Inc. $ECL

Key Points

• Neuberger Berman Group LLC increased its stake in Ecolab by 34.7%, buying 68,800 shares to hold 266,949 shares worth about $73.1 million (≈0.09% of the company) as of the latest 13F filing.
• Insiders sold stock recently: CEO Christophe Beck sold 20,000 shares for about $6.15 million (an 18.05% reduction in his position) and a director sold 1,265 shares for roughly $390,455.
• Ecolab slightly beat Q4 EPS expectations, set FY2026 guidance of 8.430–8.630 EPS, announced a $0.73 quarterly dividend (1.0% yield), and carries an average analyst rating of "Moderate Buy" with a $323.56 target price.

Neuberger Berman Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL - Free Report) by 34.7% in the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 266,949 shares of the basic materials company's stock after buying an additional 68,800 shares during the period. Neuberger Berman Group LLC owned about 0.09% of Ecolab worth $73,107,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Corundum Trust Company INC acquired a new position in Ecolab in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $28,000. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. grew its stake in shares of Ecolab by 1,177.8% in the third quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. now owns 115 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 106 shares during the last quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC increased its holdings in Ecolab by 81.5% in the second quarter. Vermillion & White Wealth Management Group LLC now owns 118 shares of the basic materials company's stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 53 shares during the period. Winnow Wealth LLC bought a new position in Ecolab during the 3rd quarter worth $33,000. Finally, Steigerwald Gordon & Koch Inc. bought a new position in Ecolab during the 3rd quarter worth $47,000. Institutional investors own 74.91% of the company's stock.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Tracy B. Mckibben sold 1,265 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $308.66, for a total value of $390,454.90. Following the transaction, the director owned 11,358 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,505,760.28. This represents a 10.02% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Christophe Beck sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $307.37, for a total transaction of $6,147,400.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 90,794 shares of the company's stock, valued at $27,907,351.78. This represents a 18.05% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.04% of the company's stock.

Ecolab Stock Performance

Shares of ECL stock opened at $282.91 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 1.08, a quick ratio of 0.81 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.75. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $285.64 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $274.69. Ecolab Inc. has a 12 month low of $221.62 and a 12 month high of $309.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $79.77 billion, a PE ratio of 38.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 0.97.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The basic materials company reported $2.08 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $2.07 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $4.20 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $4.20 billion. Ecolab had a net margin of 12.91% and a return on equity of 22.73%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.81 earnings per share. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.670-1.730 EPS. Analysts forecast that Ecolab Inc. will post 7.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, March 17th will be paid a $0.73 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, March 17th. This represents a $2.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.0%. Ecolab's dividend payout ratio is 40.11%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ECL has been the subject of several recent research reports. Evercore reissued an "outperform" rating and issued a $312.00 price target on shares of Ecolab in a research note on Wednesday, February 18th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on shares of Ecolab from $315.00 to $352.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price target on shares of Ecolab from $294.00 to $337.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 11th. BMO Capital Markets upped their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $323.00 to $345.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Mizuho set a $335.00 price objective on shares of Ecolab in a research report on Wednesday, February 11th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twelve have assigned a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $323.56.

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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