Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) Stock Has Average Target Price of $328.58 According to Brokerages

Shares of Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the twenty-two brokerages that are currently covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eighteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $328.58.

ECL has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. BMO Capital Markets upped their price target on Ecolab from $345.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Zacks Research raised shares of Ecolab from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, September 7th. Mizuho upped their target price on shares of Ecolab from $325.00 to $327.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. UBS Group raised their price target on shares of Ecolab from $344.00 to $357.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 28th. Finally, Berenberg Bank raised their price target on shares of Ecolab from $299.00 to $305.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 19th.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Christophe Beck sold 17,862 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $280.14, for a total transaction of $5,003,860.68. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 72,932 shares in the company, valued at $20,431,170.48. This trade represents a 19.67% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. 0.50% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Studio Investment Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Ecolab by 1.1% during the second quarter. Studio Investment Management LLC now owns 3,576 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $999,000 after buying an additional 38 shares during the period. Vancity Investment Management Ltd grew its stake in shares of Ecolab by 1.4% during the second quarter. Vancity Investment Management Ltd now owns 2,859 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $797,000 after buying an additional 39 shares during the last quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp raised its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 5.3% in the third quarter. Money Concepts Capital Corp now owns 798 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $219,000 after buying an additional 40 shares during the period. Heartland Bank & Trust Co raised its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 3.8% in the first quarter. Heartland Bank & Trust Co now owns 1,117 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $297,000 after buying an additional 41 shares during the period. Finally, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. raised its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 3.6% in the third quarter. Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co. now owns 1,218 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $334,000 after buying an additional 42 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

Ecolab Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:ECL opened at $300.82 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.84, a current ratio of 1.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.14. Ecolab has a 52 week low of $243.15 and a 52 week high of $318.93. The company has a market cap of $84.37 billion, a P/E ratio of 40.93, a PEG ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 0.85. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $284.00 and a 200 day moving average price of $276.93.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, October 27th. The basic materials company reported $2.18 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.18. Ecolab had a net margin of 11.99% and a return on equity of 22.57%. The company had revenue of $4.69 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.70 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $2.07 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 12.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that Ecolab will post 8.16 earnings per share for the current year.

Ecolab Company Profile

Ecolab Inc provides water, hygiene, cleaning and infection-prevention products and services to businesses and institutions. Its solutions help customers manage water use, maintain sanitary environments and support operational efficiency.

The company serves a range of industries, including food and beverage, foodservice, hospitality, healthcare, life sciences and manufacturing. Its offerings include cleaning and sanitizing products, water-treatment programs, pest-elimination services, and related monitoring and consulting support.

Founded in 1923 as Economics Laboratory, Ecolab has grown into a global company serving customers in many countries.