Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Given New $305.00 Price Target at BMO Capital Markets

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL - Get Free Report) had its price target lifted by analysts at BMO Capital Markets from $295.00 to $305.00 in a report issued on Monday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an "outperform" rating on the basic materials company's stock. BMO Capital Markets' price objective indicates a potential upside of 13.02% from the company's current price.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Ecolab from $295.00 to $313.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price objective on Ecolab from $285.00 to $307.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Piper Sandler lifted their target price on Ecolab from $270.00 to $310.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, February 24th. Morgan Stanley upgraded Ecolab from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and lifted their target price for the company from $263.00 to $280.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 28th. Finally, Argus upgraded Ecolab to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 12th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $288.00.

Ecolab Stock Performance

NYSE ECL traded up $2.10 on Monday, hitting $269.87. 1,513,115 shares of the company's stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,274,555. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.26 and a quick ratio of 0.95. The firm's 50-day moving average price is $248.98 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $249.30. Ecolab has a fifty-two week low of $217.05 and a fifty-two week high of $273.69. The firm has a market cap of $76.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.57, a P/E/G ratio of 2.57 and a beta of 1.14.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The basic materials company reported $1.81 earnings per share for the quarter, hitting analysts' consensus estimates of $1.81. Ecolab had a return on equity of 22.50% and a net margin of 13.42%. On average, research analysts expect that Ecolab will post 7.54 EPS for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Ecolab

In other Ecolab news, Director David Maclennan acquired 400 shares of Ecolab stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 13th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $264.51 per share, for a total transaction of $105,804.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 18,767 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,964,059.17. This represents a 2.18 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, SVP Jennifer J. Bradway sold 856 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $267.37, for a total value of $228,868.72. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 4,140 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,106,911.80. This represents a 17.13 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 17,435 shares of company stock worth $4,637,985. Company insiders own 0.04% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ecolab

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV boosted its holdings in Ecolab by 134.8% in the fourth quarter. Creative Financial Designs Inc. ADV now owns 108 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 62 shares in the last quarter. Coastline Trust Co bought a new stake in Ecolab during the third quarter valued at about $26,000. Graney & King LLC bought a new stake in Ecolab during the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Midwest Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Ecolab during the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Finally, Navigoe LLC bought a new stake in Ecolab during the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. 74.91% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.