Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Given New $275.00 Price Target at Barclays

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) had its price objective decreased by stock analysts at Barclays from $300.00 to $275.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an “overweight” rating on the basic materials company’s stock. Barclays‘s target price points to a potential upside of 15.19% from the stock’s current price.

Several other brokerages have also recently issued reports on ECL. Mizuho dropped their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $302.00 to $285.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Wells Fargo & Company restated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $240.00 price target (down previously from $265.00) on shares of Ecolab in a research note on Wednesday. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $295.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, March 3rd. Robert W. Baird set a $277.00 price target on Ecolab in a research report on Wednesday, April 2nd. Finally, Argus upgraded Ecolab to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Ecolab presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $282.33.

Ecolab Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE:ECL traded up $2.77 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $238.73. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 339,708 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,147,515. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $253.83 and a 200 day moving average of $248.84. The company has a quick ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79. The firm has a market capitalization of $67.71 billion, a PE ratio of 32.40, a P/E/G ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 1.14. Ecolab has a twelve month low of $217.05 and a twelve month high of $273.69.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, February 11th. The basic materials company reported $1.81 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.81. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.50% and a net margin of 13.42%. On average, equities analysts expect that Ecolab will post 7.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Ecolab

In other Ecolab news, EVP Larry L. Berger sold 10,858 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $266.95, for a total transaction of $2,898,543.10. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 15,744 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,202,860.80. The trade was a 40.82 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director David Maclennan purchased 400 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 13th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $264.51 per share, for a total transaction of $105,804.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now directly owns 18,767 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,964,059.17. This trade represents a 2.18 % increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 17,435 shares of company stock worth $4,637,985. Insiders own 0.04% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of ECL. PFW Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Ecolab during the fourth quarter valued at $1,262,000. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB increased its stake in Ecolab by 797.3% in the third quarter. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB now owns 17,820 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $4,550,000 after acquiring an additional 15,834 shares during the period. Nordea Investment Management AB lifted its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 8.7% during the fourth quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 1,627,017 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $381,552,000 after acquiring an additional 129,635 shares during the period. Corundum Group Inc. grew its position in Ecolab by 47.9% during the 4th quarter. Corundum Group Inc. now owns 7,548 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $1,769,000 after acquiring an additional 2,444 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Ecolab during the 4th quarter worth about $246,000. Institutional investors own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

About Ecolab

Ecolab Inc provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Global Industrial; Global Institutional & Specialty; and Global Healthcare & Life Sciences. The Global Industrial segment offers water treatment and process applications, and cleaning and sanitizing solutions to manufacturing, food and beverage processing, transportation, chemical, metals and mining, power generation, pulp and paper, commercial laundry, petroleum, refining, and petrochemical industries.