Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Price Target Raised to $257.00

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) had its price target hoisted by Citigroup from $256.00 to $257.00 in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday morning, Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a neutral rating on the basic materials company’s stock.

A number of other equities analysts have also issued reports on ECL. Barclays raised Ecolab from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $225.00 to $260.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 28th. UBS Group increased their price objective on Ecolab from $211.00 to $227.00 and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, January 11th. Seaport Res Ptn downgraded Ecolab from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Bank of America upgraded Ecolab from an underperform rating to a neutral rating and upped their target price for the stock from $185.00 to $216.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 16th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their target price on Ecolab from $225.00 to $233.00 and gave the stock a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $233.65.

Ecolab Stock Down 0.5 %

NYSE:ECL opened at $224.98 on Wednesday. Ecolab has a 52 week low of $156.72 and a 52 week high of $231.86. The firm has a market capitalization of $64.32 billion, a PE ratio of 46.97, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 1.10. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $224.37 and a 200-day moving average of $202.37. The company has a current ratio of 1.30, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 30th. The basic materials company reported $1.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.33 by $0.01. Ecolab had a return on equity of 19.36% and a net margin of 8.96%. The business had revenue of $3.75 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.74 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.88 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Ecolab will post 6.42 EPS for the current year.

Ecolab Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 19th were paid a dividend of $0.57 per share. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.01%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, March 18th. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 47.60%.

Institutional Trading of Ecolab

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Carnegie Capital Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Ecolab by 1.9% during the 4th quarter. Carnegie Capital Asset Management LLC now owns 111,563 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $22,129,000 after purchasing an additional 2,051 shares during the period. Prio Wealth Limited Partnership raised its stake in Ecolab by 526.2% during the 4th quarter. Prio Wealth Limited Partnership now owns 56,959 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $11,298,000 after purchasing an additional 47,863 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC raised its stake in Ecolab by 12.5% during the 4th quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 87,402 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $17,338,000 after purchasing an additional 9,695 shares during the period. AEGON ASSET MANAGEMENT UK Plc acquired a new stake in Ecolab during the 4th quarter valued at $35,040,000. Finally, Vest Financial LLC raised its stake in Ecolab by 39.6% during the 4th quarter. Vest Financial LLC now owns 167,017 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $33,128,000 after purchasing an additional 47,351 shares during the period. 74.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Ecolab Company Profile

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.