Ecolab Inc. (ECL), headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services. With a market cap of $86 billion, the company's services include food safety, sanitation, optimization of water and energy use, improvement of operational efficiency and sustainability.
Shares of this global leader in the cleaning and sanitation industry have outperformed the broader market over the past year. ECL has gained 13.7% over this time frame, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has rallied nearly 12.3%. In 2026, ECL’s stock rose 15.3%, surpassing the SPX’s marginal rise on a YTD basis.
Narrowing the focus, ECL’s underperformance is apparent compared to the Global X Clean Water ETF (AQWA). The exchange-traded fund has gained about 17.9% over the past year. However, ECL’s double-digit returns on a YTD basis outshine the ETF’s 9.9% gains over the same time frame.
On Feb. 10, ECL shares closed up by 4% after reporting its Q4 results. Its adjusted EPS of $2.08 exceeded Wall Street expectations of $2.06. The company’s revenue of $4.20 billion, topping Wall Street forecasts of $4.19 billion. ECL expects full-year adjusted EPS in the range of $8.43 to $8.63.
For fiscal 2026, ending in December, analysts expect ECL’s EPS to grow 13.2% to $8.52 on a diluted basis. The company’s earnings surprise history is mixed. It beat or matched the consensus estimate in three of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on another occasion.
Among the 28 analysts covering ECL stock, the consensus is a “Moderate Buy.” That’s based on 13 “Strong Buy” ratings, two “Moderate Buys,” and 13 “Holds.”
The configuration has been relatively stable over the past three months.
On Feb. 13, Berenberg Bank maintained a “Hold” rating on ECO with a price target of $299.
The mean price target of $317.52 represents a 4.9% premium to ECL’s current price levels. The Street-high price target of $352 suggests an upside potential of 16.3%.
On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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