Ecolab Inc.

(New York Stock Exchange)
Bullish +65

Ecolab Inc. $ECL Position Boosted by Allspring Global Investments ...

πŸ“ˆ Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC boosted its Ecolab position by 4.0% in Q1, adding 3,727 shares to a total holding of 98,004 shares.

πŸ“Š Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH increased its stake by 25.9% in Q4, now owning 330,698 shares valued at $86.67 million.

πŸ“ˆ QRG Capital Management Inc. grew its Ecolab position by 38.7% in the fourth quarter to own 22,362 shares.

πŸ“ˆ HF Advisory Group LLC significantly increased its holdings by 1,167.3% in Q4, purchasing an additional 36,723 shares.

πŸ’° Ecolab declared a quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share with an ex-dividend date of June 16th and an annualized yield of 1.1%.

πŸ“ˆ Bank of America raised its price target to $345.00 and maintained a 'buy' rating in a recent research report.

πŸ“ˆ Citigroup lifted its price objective from $325.00 to $330.00 and assigned a 'buy' rating on Wednesday, June 24th.

πŸ“ˆ UBS Group upgraded Ecolab from 'neutral' to 'buy' and raised its target price from $293.00 to $325.00.

πŸ“‰ Director Suzanne M. Vautrinot sold 1,004 shares for a total value of $266,039.92 in a transaction dated May 27th.

πŸ“ˆ EVP Benjamin M. Clark purchased 1,000 shares at an average cost of $263.83, increasing his position by over 1,200%.

πŸ’Ό Corporate insiders have net purchased 10,550 shares worth $2.7 million over the last quarter.

πŸ“Š The stock currently trades at a P/E ratio of 36.27 with a market cap of $75.43 billion and a beta of 0.89.

Bullish Signals
  • Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC increased its position in Ecolab by 4.0% during the first quarter, adding 3,727 shares to its holdings.
  • Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH significantly increased its stake by 25.9% in the fourth quarter, purchasing an additional 68,062 shares.
  • QRG Capital Management Inc. grew its position by 38.7% in Q4, acquiring an additional 6,238 shares of Ecolab stock.
  • HF Advisory Group LLC boosted its position by 1,167.3% in the fourth quarter, buying an additional 36,723 shares.
  • Bank of America raised its price target on Ecolab from $337.00 to $345.00 and reaffirmed a 'buy' rating.
  • Citigroup lifted its price objective from $325.00 to $330.00 and issued a 'buy' rating in a recent report.
  • UBS Group upgraded Ecolab from a 'neutral' rating to a 'buy' and raised its target price from $293.00 to $325.00.
  • Corporate insiders have net purchased 10,550 shares worth approximately $2.7 million over the last quarter.
  • EVP Benjamin M. Clark increased his personal stake by 1,204.82% by purchasing 1,000 shares of company stock.
Risk Factors
  • Director Suzanne M. Vautrinot sold 1,004 shares of Ecolab stock, representing a 7.93% decrease in her personal position.
  • The stock is trading below its 200-day moving average of $273.11 and has recently hit a twelve-month low of $243.15.
Full Analysis
Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC increased its position in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) by 4.0% during the first quarter, purchasing an additional 3,727 shares to own a total of 98,004 shares valued at $26.4 million. Several other institutional investors also adjusted their holdings in the fourth quarter, with Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH increasing its stake by 25.9% and QRG Capital Management Inc. growing its position by 38.7%. HF Advisory Group LLC saw a massive percentage increase of 1,167.3% in its holding, though the absolute number of shares purchased was significant at 36,723. Analyst sentiment remains largely positive for Ecolab, with major brokerages including Bank of America, Citigroup, and UBS upgrading their ratings to 'buy' or raising price targets. The consensus rating is a 'Moderate Buy' with an average target price of $324.06, while the stock currently trades around $268.02. Ecolab recently declared a quarterly dividend of $0.73 per share, resulting in an annualized yield of 1.1% and a payout ratio of 39.51%. The company maintains a market capitalization of $75.43 billion with a P/E ratio of 36.27. Insider trading activity shows mixed signals but net buying over the last quarter, with corporate insiders purchasing shares worth approximately $2.7 million. Director Suzanne M. Vautrinot sold 1,004 shares representing a 7.93% decrease in her position, while EVP Benjamin M. Clark purchased 1,000 shares to increase his stake by over 1,200%. Ecolab operates as a global provider of water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions serving diverse markets including hospitality, healthcare, and manufacturing.