Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Issues Q1 2026 Earnings Guidance

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) updated its first quarter 2026 earnings guidance on Tuesday. The company provided earnings per share guidance of 1.670-1.730 for the period, compared to the consensus earnings per share estimate of 1.690. The company issued revenue guidance of -. Ecolab also updated its FY 2026 guidance to 8.430-8.630 EPS.

Analyst Ratings Changes

ECL has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Erste Group Bank cut shares of Ecolab from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, January 23rd. Evercore upgraded Ecolab from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their price objective for the company from $265.00 to $300.00 in a report on Monday, November 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Ecolab from $250.00 to $265.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 29th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $300.00 to $337.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Ecolab from $275.00 to $310.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eleven have given a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $306.67.

Ecolab Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE ECL traded up $1.22 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $300.84. 266,397 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,224,414. Ecolab has a 1 year low of $221.62 and a 1 year high of $303.01. The company has a current ratio of 1.70, a quick ratio of 1.33 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $271.71 and a 200 day simple moving average of $270.92. The stock has a market cap of $85.21 billion, a P/E ratio of 43.20, a PEG ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 0.99.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 10th. The basic materials company reported $2.08 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.07 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $4.19 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.20 billion. Ecolab had a net margin of 12.49% and a return on equity of 22.55%. Ecolab’s quarterly revenue was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $1.81 EPS. Ecolab has set its FY 2026 guidance at 8.430-8.630 EPS and its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.670-1.730 EPS. On average, research analysts forecast that Ecolab will post 7.54 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Increases Dividend

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, January 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 16th were issued a $0.73 dividend. This represents a $2.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.0%. This is an increase from Ecolab’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.65. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, December 16th. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio is 41.95%.

Insider Transactions at Ecolab

In related news, EVP Boo Alexander A. De sold 1,422 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction on Monday, November 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $268.25, for a total transaction of $381,451.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 5,726 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,535,999.50. The trade was a 19.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director David Maclennan acquired 750 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 8th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $257.60 per share, for a total transaction of $193,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 23,035 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,933,816. This represents a 3.37% increase in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. 0.50% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Key Stories Impacting Ecolab

Here are the key news stories impacting Ecolab this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 adjusted EPS of $2.08 topped estimates and showed solid margin expansion, supporting the view that profit recovery is underway. Ecolab Shares Rise As Q4 Earnings, Revenue Edge Past Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Full?year 2026 EPS guidance of $8.43–$8.63 was issued above Street expectations, and management cited strong demand across cleaning, sanitization and cooling businesses. That guidance is the primary driver of the improved tone. Ecolab forecasts 2026 profit above estimates on strong demand
• Positive Sentiment: Management’s earnings call and slide deck emphasized accelerating growth engines and margin levers, framing FY?26 as a year of 12%–15% EPS growth and portfolio strength after the Ovivo deal. This helped lift investor confidence. Ecolab outlines 12%–15% EPS growth for 2026 as growth engines accelerate and Ovivo boosts portfolio
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts reiterated a constructive stance—William Blair kept a Buy rating, citing sustained earnings outperformance and margin expansion as catalysts for further upside. Ecolab: Sustained Earnings Outperformance and Margin Expansion Underpin Buy Rating
• Neutral Sentiment: Q1 EPS guide of $1.67–$1.73 is essentially in line with consensus, so the near?term cadence is consistent with management’s FY plan (less a surprise driver).
• Negative Sentiment: Revenue growth remains modest (Q4 revenue up ~4.8% YoY) and revenue missed estimates by a narrow margin, which leaves room for caution if top?line momentum slows. ECL Stock Falls in Pre-Market Despite Q4 Earnings Beat, Margins Expand
• Negative Sentiment: Some traders reacted nervously in pre?market trading despite the beat, indicating market sensitivity to small revenue misses and the need for continued execution to justify the premium valuation. What Recent Developments Mean For The Ecolab NYSE ECL Investment Story

Institutional Trading of Ecolab

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Wexford Capital LP purchased a new stake in Ecolab in the 3rd quarter valued at about $25,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Ecolab during the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. FSA Wealth Management LLC increased its position in Ecolab by 88.7% during the third quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC now owns 117 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares during the last quarter. Kelleher Financial Advisors purchased a new position in Ecolab during the third quarter worth approximately $77,000. Finally, Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA grew its stake in shares of Ecolab by 23.3% during the 3rd quarter. Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU SA now owns 370 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $101,000 after buying an additional 70 shares during the period. 74.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.