Go Pro

Ecolab (ECL) Stock Forecast & Price Target

Ecolab logo
$274.02 +2.76 (+1.02%)
Closing price 10/2/2026 03:59 PM Eastern
Extended Trading
$271.60 -2.42 (-0.88%)
As of 10/2/2026 07:31 PM Eastern
Extended trading is trading that happens on electronic markets outside of regular trading hours. This is a fair market value extended hours price provided by Massive. Learn more.

Ecolab - Analysts' Recommendations and Stock Price Forecast (2026)

Consensus Rating

Sell
0
Hold
3
Buy
18

Based on 21 Wall Street analysts who have issued ratings for Ecolab in the last 12 months, the stock has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy." Out of the 21 analysts, 3 have given a hold rating, 17 have given a buy rating, and 1 has given a strong buy rating for ECL.

Consensus Price Target

$327.56
19.54% Upside
According to the 21 analysts' twelve-month price targets for Ecolab, the average price target is $327.56. The highest price target for ECL is $360.00, while the lowest price target for ECL is $295.00. The average price target represents a forecasted upside of 19.54% from the current price of $274.02.
MarketBeat calculates consensus analyst ratings for stocks using the most recent rating from each Wall Street analyst that has rated a stock within the last twelve months. Each analyst's rating is normalized to a standardized rating score of 1 (sell), 2 (hold), 3 (buy) or 4 (strong buy). Analyst consensus ratings scores are calculated using the mean average of the number of normalized sell, hold, buy and strong buy ratings from Wall Street analysts. Each stock's consensus analyst rating is derived from its calculated consensus ratings score (0 to .5 = Strong Sell, .5 to 1 = Sell, 1 to 1.5 = Reduce, 1.5 to 2.5 = Hold, 2.5 to 3.0 = Moderate Buy, 3.0 to 3.5 = Buy, >3.5 = Strong Buy). MarketBeat's consensus price targets are a mean average of the most recent available price targets set by each analyst that has set a price target for the stock in the last twelve months. MarketBeat's consensus ratings and consensus price targets may differ from those calculated by other firms due to differences in methodology and available data.
Get the Latest News and Ratings for ECL and Related Stocks

Enter your email address to receive the latest news and analysts' ratings for Ecolab and its competitors.

Sign Up
SMS is currently available in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. By entering your phone number and clicking the sign-up button, you agree to receive periodic text messages from MarketBeat at the phone number you submitted, including texts that may be sent using an automatic telephone dialing system. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Messages will consist of stock alerts, news stories, and partner advertisements/offers. Consent is not a condition of the purchase of any goods or services. Text HELP for help/customer support. Unsubscribe at any time by replying "STOP" to any text message that you receive from MarketBeat or by visiting our mailing preferences page. Read our full terms of service and privacy policy.

ECL Analyst Ratings Over Time

TypeCurrent Forecast
10/3/25 to 10/3/26
1 Month Ago
9/3/25 to 9/3/26
3 Months Ago
7/5/25 to 7/5/26
1 Year Ago
10/3/24 to 10/3/25
Strong Buy
1 Strong Buy rating(s)
1 Strong Buy rating(s)
1 Strong Buy rating(s)
1 Strong Buy rating(s)
Buy
17 Buy rating(s)
17 Buy rating(s)
17 Buy rating(s)
12 Buy rating(s)
Hold
3 Hold rating(s)
2 Hold rating(s)
3 Hold rating(s)
5 Hold rating(s)
Sell
0 Sell rating(s)
1 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
0 Sell rating(s)
Consensus Price Target$327.56$327.56$323.71$292.00
Forecasted Upside19.54% Upside17.48% Upside14.32% Upside5.57% Upside
Consensus RatingModerate BuyModerate BuyModerate BuyModerate Buy

ECL Analyst Recommendations By Month

The chart below shows how a company's ratings by analysts have changed over time. Each bar represents the previous year of ratings for that month. Within each bar, the sell ratings are shown in red, the hold ratings are shown in yellow, the buy ratings are shown in green, and the strong buy ratings are shown in dark green.
Skip Chart & View Analyst Rating History

ECL Price Targets by Month

The chart below shows how a company's share price and consensus price target have changed over time. The dark blue line represents the company's actual price. The lighter blue line represents the stock's consensus price target. The even lighter blue range in the background of the two lines represents the low price target and the high price target for each stock.
Skip Chart and View Analyst Price Target HistorySkip Chart & View Price History Table

Ecolab Stock vs. The Competition

TypeEcolabMaterials CompaniesBroader Market
Consensus Rating Score
2.90
2.57
2.53
Consensus RatingModerate BuyModerate BuyModerate Buy
Predicted Upside19.54% Upside150.16% Upside21.52% Upside
News Sentiment Rating
Neutral News

See Recent ECL News
Neutral News
Neutral News
DateBrokerageAnalystActionRatingPrice TargetReport Date
Upside/Downside
Details
9/7/2026
Zacks Research logo
Zacks Research
4 of 5 stars
 UpgradeStrong Sell ➝ Hold
8/31/2026
Weiss Ratings logo
Weiss Ratings
3 of 5 stars
 UpgradeBuy (B-) ➝ Buy (B)
7/30/2026
Jason Haas
Jason Haas
1 of 5 stars
Boost TargetEqual Weight$275.00 ➝ $295.00+6.13%
7/29/2026Reiterated RatingBuy$342.00+20.77%
7/29/2026Boost TargetOutperform$345.00 ➝ $360.00+27.13%
7/29/2026Boost TargetOutperform$325.00 ➝ $327.00+15.47%
7/29/2026Set Target$305.00+7.71%
7/29/2026Boost TargetOverweight$295.00 ➝ $305.00+7.59%
7/17/2026UpgradeMarket Perform ➝ Outperform$320.00+16.12%
7/9/2026Boost TargetBuy$325.00 ➝ $335.00+23.28%
7/7/2026Reiterated RatingOutperform$337.00+18.79%
6/24/2026Boost TargetBuy$325.00 ➝ $330.00+22.75%
5/20/2026Lower TargetBuy$352.00 ➝ $345.00+38.27%
4/21/2026Boost TargetBuy$337.00 ➝ $345.00+25.04%
3/16/2026 UpgradeHold ➝ Buy$326.00+18.93%
2/18/2026Reiterated RatingOutperform$312.00+2.73%
2/12/2026Reiterated RatingOutperform$330.00 ➝ $345.00+13.79%
2/11/2026 Reiterated RatingOverweight$330.00+10.06%
2/11/2026Boost TargetBuy$300.00 ➝ $337.00+12.34%
1/23/2026 DowngradeBuy ➝ Hold
10/29/2025Boost TargetOverweight$275.00 ➝ $300.00+11.77%
8/26/2025Initiated CoverageMarket Perform
3/24/2025DowngradeBuy ➝ Neutral$270.00+7.66%
2/24/2025Boost TargetOverweight$270.00 ➝ $310.00+16.93%
2/12/2025UpgradeStrong-Buy

Analyst ratings data on MarketBeat is provided by Benzinga and other data providers. This page was last refreshed on Saturday at 04:12 PM ET.


Should I Buy Ecolab Stock? ECL Pros and Cons Explained

These pros and cons were generated based on recent news and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest and most accurate insights. They were last updated on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. Please send any questions or comments about these Ecolab pros and cons to contact@marketbeat.com.

Ecolab
Bull Case

green Wall Street bull icon

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in Ecolab Inc.:

  • Ecolab Inc. recently reported strong financial performance in its most recent quarter, posting earnings per share of $2.09, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $2.08, and generated revenue of $4.42 billion, exceeding expectations of $4.38 billion with a 9.7% year-over-year increase.
  • The company maintains a robust dividend profile, having recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share, which represents an annualized yield of approximately 1.1% and a payout ratio of 39.19%, indicating a sustainable income stream for shareholders.
  • Analyst sentiment remains positive with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $327.56, which suggests significant upside potential from the current stock price of $275.21.
  • Institutional interest in the stock is high, with hedge funds and other institutional investors owning 74.91% of the company's shares, reflecting confidence in the long-term stability and growth of the business.
  • The company's business model is resilient, providing essential water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions to critical sectors such as healthcare and food safety, which helps maintain demand even during economic downturns.

Ecolab
Bear Case

red Wall Street bear icon

Investors should be bearish about investing in Ecolab Inc. for these reasons:

  • The current stock price of $275.21 is trading at a premium valuation with a P/E ratio of 36.94, which may limit upside potential if earnings growth does not accelerate to justify the multiple.
  • Short interest in the stock has been increasing recently, with shares shorted rising to 5,259,375 in the latest reporting period, indicating that some market participants are betting on a price decline.
  • Recent insider activity includes significant selling by the CEO, Christophe Beck, who sold 17,862 shares in August 2026, which some investors may interpret as a lack of confidence in the stock's near-term performance.
  • Some institutional investors have reduced their positions, such as Andra AP fonden, which decreased its stake by 27.5% in the second quarter, suggesting that certain large holders are taking profits or reallocating capital.
  • The company's debt-to-equity ratio stands at 1.18, which indicates a moderate level of leverage that could become a burden if interest rates remain high or if revenue growth slows.

ECL Forecast - Frequently Asked Questions

According to the research reports of 21 Wall Street equities research analysts, the average twelve-month stock price forecast for Ecolab is $327.56, with a high forecast of $360.00 and a low forecast of $295.00.

21 Wall Street research analysts have issued "buy," "hold," and "sell" ratings for Ecolab in the last year. There are currently 3 hold ratings, 17 buy ratings and 1 strong buy rating for the stock. The consensus among Wall Street research analysts is that investors should "moderate buy" ECL shares.

According to analysts, Ecolab's stock has a predicted upside of 19.54% based on their 12-month stock forecasts.

Over the previous 90 days, Ecolab's stock had 3 upgrades and 1 downgrade by analysts.

Analysts like Ecolab more than other "materials" companies. The consensus rating score for Ecolab is 2.90 while the average consensus rating score for "materials" companies is 2.57. Learn more on how ECL compares to other companies.


MarketBeat monitors more than a dozen sources for Ecolab analyst ratings, with the most recent rating issued on 9/7/2026.
From Our Partners