Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. Cuts Position in Ecolab Inc. $ECL

Key Points

• Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group trimmed its Ecolab stake by 3.3% in the first quarter, selling 19,623 shares and ending the period with 572,047 shares valued at about $152.2 million.
• Ecolab’s latest quarterly results came in solidly, with EPS of $1.70 matching estimates and revenue of $4.07 billion topping expectations; revenue also rose 10% year over year.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive overall, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and a consensus price target of $324.29, while the company also announced a quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share.

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. decreased its holdings in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL - Free Report) by 3.3% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 572,047 shares of the basic materials company's stock after selling 19,623 shares during the quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. owned 0.20% of Ecolab worth $152,176,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of ECL. Wexford Capital LP purchased a new stake in shares of Ecolab in the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Ecolab during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Ecolab in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Meeder Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Ecolab in the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Finally, Union Savings Bank purchased a new stake in Ecolab in the 4th quarter worth $30,000. 74.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have issued reports on the stock. Citigroup increased their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $325.00 to $330.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. Berenberg Bank raised shares of Ecolab from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $326.00 target price for the company in a research note on Monday, March 16th. Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Ecolab from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Robert W. Baird decreased their price target on shares of Ecolab from $320.00 to $296.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 24th. Finally, UBS Group upgraded Ecolab from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $293.00 to $325.00 in a report on Wednesday, May 27th. One equities 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 company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $324.29.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Michel D. Doukeris bought 7,750 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $258.00 per share, for a total transaction of $1,999,500.00. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 8,326 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,148,108. This trade represents a 1,345.49% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Suzanne M. Vautrinot sold 1,004 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $264.98, for a total transaction of $266,039.92. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 11,651 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,087,281.98. This trade represents a 7.93% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders have acquired 10,550 shares of company stock worth $2,719,508. Insiders own 0.50% of the company's stock.

Ecolab Price Performance

NYSE:ECL opened at $273.05 on Friday. Ecolab Inc. has a one year low of $243.15 and a one year high of $309.27. 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 stock has a market cap of $76.85 billion, a PE ratio of 36.95, a P/E/G ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 0.89. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $263.26 and a 200 day moving average price of $272.80.

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. The firm had revenue of $4.07 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.03 billion. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.64% and a net margin of 12.80%.The firm's revenue was up 10.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.50 earnings per share. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.020-2.120 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Ecolab Inc. will post 8.18 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared 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 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.1%. Ecolab's payout ratio is presently 39.51%.

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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