Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Price Target Raised to $233.00 at Stifel Nicolaus

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) had its target price hoisted by Stifel Nicolaus from $225.00 to $233.00 in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. They currently have a hold rating on the basic materials company’s stock.

Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Mizuho upgraded shares of Ecolab from a neutral rating to a buy rating and raised their price target for the company from $216.00 to $260.00 in a report on Friday, April 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered shares of Ecolab from an overweight rating to a neutral rating and lifted their target price for the company from $200.00 to $220.00 in a report on Wednesday, February 14th. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on Ecolab in a report on Friday, March 1st. They issued a peer perform rating for the company. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Ecolab from $230.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 27th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets increased their target price on Ecolab from $212.00 to $227.00 and gave the company a market perform rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Eleven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $233.65.

Ecolab Stock Down 0.5 %

Shares of ECL opened at $224.98 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $64.32 billion, a PE ratio of 41.66, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 1.08. The company has a quick ratio of 0.95, a current ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.92. The company’s fifty day moving average is $224.37 and its two-hundred day moving average is $202.37. Ecolab has a fifty-two week low of $156.72 and a fifty-two week high of $231.86.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 30th. The basic materials company reported $1.34 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.33 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $3.75 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.74 billion. Ecolab had a return on equity of 20.56% and a net margin of 10.01%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 5.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $0.88 earnings per share. Analysts forecast that Ecolab will post 6.49 earnings per share for the current year.

Ecolab Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, April 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 19th were paid a $0.57 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, March 18th. This represents a $2.28 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.01%. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 42.22%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in ECL. First Personal Financial Services bought a new stake in shares of Ecolab in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Ecolab by 150.0% during the fourth quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 135 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 81 shares during the period. Motco acquired a new position in shares of Ecolab during the fourth quarter valued at $28,000. Fortitude Family Office LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Ecolab in the 4th quarter worth about $29,000. Finally, Rise Advisors LLC lifted its position in Ecolab by 2,042.9% in the 1st quarter. Rise Advisors LLC now owns 150 shares of the basic materials company’s stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 143 shares during the last quarter. 74.91% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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.