Reading the tape
NYSE: ECL
Ecolab Inc.
Basic Materials · Chemicals - Specialty
Market Cap
$71.80B
52w High
$309.27
52w Low
$249.04
P/E
34.05
Volume
1.80M
Outstanding Shares
282.42M
Price vs Fundamentals
Why The Stock Is Moving
Mixed / unclearLow confidence
1Y Price: 0.32%Revenue (TTM): 4.9%FCF (TTM): 24.43%P/FCF: 53rd pct
What changed
The stock rose 0.32% over the last year. Revenue grew 4.9% over the trailing twelve months. Operating margin moved from 16.91% to 17.49%. Free cash flow grew 24.43% over the trailing twelve months.
What the market seems to be pricing
The stock has moved higher against modestly improving underlying metrics. The operating data does not yet tell a clear story — the move may reflect sentiment, sector rotation, or macro factors rather than company-specific earnings power.
What would invalidate this read
Operating margin currently stands at 17.49%. A decisive move in revenue — currently up 4.9% — would be the clearest signal to resolve the ambiguity.
Company profile
Ecolab Inc. provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally.
CEOChristophe Beck
SectorBasic Materials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
Employees48,000
IPO dateJan 1, 1957
Valuation
Forward P/E—
EV/EBITDA24.02
Enterprise value$83.16B
Stock splits
Jun 9, 2003↑ Forward
Every 1 shares became 2
Jan 16, 1998↑ Forward
Every 1 shares became 2
Jan 19, 1994↑ Forward
Every 1 shares became 2
Jul 16, 1986↑ Forward
Every 1 shares became 2
Profitability & growth
Revenue growth10.04%
Gross margin44.29%▲2.39%vs FY2024
Operating margin17.49%▲9.14%vs FY2024
ROE21.24%▼11.93%vs FY2024
Analyst consensus
RatingBuy
Target price$327.11▲28.67%
26
Buy
10
Hold
1
Sell
Analyst ratings tend to be lagging indicators. Use as one signal among many.
Earnings
Full quarter-by-quarter history of actuals vs estimates. Switch into compare mode to inspect one metric year-over-year.
Next report
Aug 4, 2026
Q3 FY26 · EPS est $2.11 · Revenue est $4.4B
View
Dividends
$2.84/shareQuarterlyDividend Aristocrat · 38yrSafeECL pays a dividend with a 1.12% declared yield, 38 consecutive years of growth, growing at 8.26% annually, covered 2.5× by free cash flow.
Declared Yield
1.12%
Annual Div / Share
$2.84
TTM $2.76
5yr CAGR
+8.26%
Doubles every ~8.7yr
Payout Ratio
36.92%
Safe
Dividend Growth Rate
3yr CAGR
+10.59%
5yr CAGR
+8.26%
10yr CAGR
+7.48%
Dividend Safety
10/10Safe
Dividend History
Annualized dividend cycles per share
YearAnnual DivYoY
2026$2.84+12.7%
2025$2.52+12.5%
2024$2.24+6.7%
2023$2.10+4.5%
2022$2.01+5.2%
2021$1.91+2.1%
2020$1.87+4.5%
Income Projection
Invest
$
Growth rate:
Reinvest dividends
Today
$11/yr
$1/mo
In 5 yrs
$17/yr+49%
$1/mo
In 10 yrs
$25/yr+121%
$2/mo
| Today | In 5 yrs | In 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|
$11/yr $1/mo | $17/yr+49% $1/mo | $25/yr+121% $2/mo |
Yield-on-cost grows from 1.12% → 2.47% over 10yr
Analysis
Dividend Strengths
Dividend Aristocrat
ECL has raised its dividend for 38 consecutive years — qualifying as a Dividend Aristocrat, demonstrating long-term commitment to shareholder income.
Well-covered by free cash flow
The dividend is covered 2.5× by free cash flow, indicating the company generates sufficient cash to sustain and potentially grow the payout without straining its finances.
Strong dividend growth rate
The 5-year CAGR of 8.26% meaningfully outpaces inflation, compounding real income growth for long-term holders.
Risks to Watch
No strong risk signal stands out from the latest period pair.