Analyst Consensus ?
ConsensusBuy37 ratings
Bullish2978.4%
Neutral718.9%
Bearish12.7%
Ecolab Inc. · ECL · FY2024 Q4 · Calendar Q1 2025
Ecolab pairs 2025 EPS growth target with heavier investment
The supplied analysis supports a constructive operating thesis for Ecolab: resilient demand, pricing, high-tech water opportunities and digital cross-sell could support earnings growth, but the case depends on converting heavier investment into profitable growth while sustaining volume and margin execution.
Reported Before market openNYSEBasic Materials
$80.98B market cap
80quality score
Earnings scorecard
Reported versus consensus
Reported EPS
—
Consensus $1.81
EPS surprise
—
Reported versus consensus
Reported revenue
—
Consensus $3.99B
Revenue surprise
—
Reported versus consensus
Market reaction
prior-close to event-session close
Stock move
+6.2%
Event window
SPY move
+0.1%
Same window
Abnormal move
+6.1%
Stock minus SPY
Volume
2.5×
Versus trailing sessions
Subsequent drift
-2.3%
Up to 20 sessions
ECLSPY benchmark
Ask FN2 about ECL FY2024 Q4
Transcript, numbers and history already loaded
What drove ECL's +6.2% move after FY2024 Q4 earnings?What changed in ECL's guidance and outlook in FY2024 Q4?Give me the bull and bear case for ECL after FY2024 Q4 earnings.
Free account. Your question opens in FN2 with this report's transcript and numbers attached.
Transcript intelligence
What changed
Compared with the prior-quarter analysis, the current review emphasizes the 2025 investment cycle more clearly: capex is expected to reach about 7% of sales, Ecolab Digital is set to begin top-line reporting, and liquid-cooled data-center and microelectronics water solutions are central growth priorities. The longer-term 20% operating-income margin goal remains in focus.
Guidance delta
Management’s outlook remained constructive: 2025 adjusted EPS was projected to grow 12%–15%, with continued margin improvement and a 20% operating-income margin goal by 2027. The prior-quarter analysis also described guidance as raised.
Key takeaways
- Management described record 2024 performance, with 4% organic sales growth and 16.8% full-year operating margin.
- Growth priorities include liquid-cooled data-center systems, microelectronics water circularity, life sciences and Ecolab Digital.
- Capex is expected to rise to about 7% of sales in 2025, while cash generation supports dividends, buybacks and selective acquisitions.
Management priorities
- Scale Ecolab Digital and begin reporting its top-line sales.
- Expand high-tech water, data-center cooling and microelectronics circularity offerings.
- Invest in AI dish-machine programs, digital tools and pest intelligence while pursuing selective acquisitions.
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Try FN2 freeEarnings History
Estimate
Beat
Miss
Match
Analyst 52W Price Targets
$288.89Current
$164Low
$279.24Average
$426High
Latest persisted target per named analyst; persisted current price from FN2's market snapshot as of Oct 18, 2026. Not an FN2 forecast.
Firm-level rating actions
FMP grade actions identify the grading firm, not a named analyst.
| Firm | Rating | Prior rating | Action | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UBS | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Oct 5, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Equal Weight | Equal Weight | Maintain | Jul 30, 2026 |
| Mizuho | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Jul 29, 2026 |
| JP Morgan | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Jul 29, 2026 |
| BMO Capital | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Jul 29, 2026 |
| Oppenheimer | Outperform | Perform | Upgrade | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Deutsche Bank | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Jul 9, 2026 |
| RBC Capital | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Jul 7, 2026 |
| Citigroup | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Jun 24, 2026 |
| Jefferies | Buy | Buy | Maintain | May 20, 2026 |
| B of A Securities | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Apr 21, 2026 |
| Baird | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Mar 24, 2026 |
| Evercore ISI Group | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Feb 18, 2026 |
| Exane BNP Paribas | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Feb 12, 2026 |
| BNP Paribas | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Feb 12, 2026 |
| Stifel | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Feb 11, 2026 |
| Barclays | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Oct 29, 2025 |
| Seaport Global | Buy | Neutral | Upgrade | Apr 21, 2025 |
| Redburn Atlantic | Neutral | Buy | Downgrade | Mar 24, 2025 |
| Piper Sandler | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Feb 24, 2025 |
| Morgan Stanley | Overweight | Equal Weight | Upgrade | Jan 28, 2025 |
| Raymond James | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Apr 3, 2024 |
| Northcoast Research | Neutral | Buy | Downgrade | Jul 5, 2023 |
| Credit Suisse | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Nov 7, 2022 |
| Argus Research | Buy | Buy | Maintain | May 31, 2022 |
| Edward Jones | Buy | Hold | Upgrade | Mar 17, 2022 |
| Gabelli & Co. | Buy | Hold | Upgrade | Jan 15, 2021 |
| CFRA | Hold | Hold | Maintain | Apr 30, 2020 |
| Stifel Nicolaus | Hold | Hold | Maintain | Feb 19, 2020 |
| Nomura | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Aug 7, 2019 |
| Citi | Neutral | Neutral | Maintain | Aug 2, 2019 |
| Canaccord Genuity | Buy | Buy | Maintain | May 1, 2019 |
| Longbow Research | Neutral | Buy | Downgrade | Feb 22, 2017 |
| Macquarie | Outperform | Outperform | Maintain | Aug 25, 2016 |
| Goldman Sachs | Sell | Sell | Maintain | Aug 3, 2016 |
| Sterne Agee CRT | Buy | Buy | Maintain | Mar 22, 2016 |
| PiperJaffray | Overweight | Overweight | Maintain | Nov 3, 2015 |
Named analyst price targets
Upside is calculated against the persisted current price $288.89. FMP does not supply a rating on these named-analyst rows.
| Firm | Analyst | 52W target | Price when posted | Upside | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UBS | Joshua Spector | $344 | $273.7 | +19.1% | Oct 5, 2026 |
| UBS | Joshua Spector | $342 | $281.05 | +18.4% | Jul 29, 2026 |
| BMO Capital | John McNulty | $360 | $280.58 | +24.6% | Jul 29, 2026 |
| Mizuho Securities | Analyst unavailable | $327 | $282.9 | +13.2% | Jul 29, 2026 |
| Robert W. Baird | Andrew Wittmann | $305 | $282.9 | +5.6% | Jul 29, 2026 |
| Oppenheimer | Scott Schneeberger | $320 | $275.71 | +10.8% | Jul 17, 2026 |
| Deutsche Bank | Analyst unavailable | $335 | $272.13 | +16.0% | Jul 9, 2026 |
| Wells Fargo | Jason Hass | $275 | $264.44 | -4.8% | Jun 10, 2026 |
| UBS | Joshua Spector | $325 | $254.23 | +12.5% | May 27, 2026 |
| Jefferies | Analyst unavailable | $345 | $250.22 | +19.4% | May 20, 2026 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $293 | $272.47 | +1.4% | Apr 9, 2026 |
| Evercore ISI | Analyst unavailable | $312 | $305 | +8.0% | Feb 18, 2026 |
| Deutsche Bank | David Begleiter | $325 | $300.28 | +12.5% | Feb 13, 2026 |
| BMO Capital | John McNulty | $345 | $300.69 | +19.4% | Feb 13, 2026 |
| Seaport Global | Analyst unavailable | $340 | $304.59 | +17.7% | Feb 12, 2026 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $312 | $300.56 | +8.0% | Feb 11, 2026 |
| Morgan Stanley | Analyst unavailable | $330 | $300.64 | +14.2% | Feb 11, 2026 |
| Mizuho Securities | Analyst unavailable | $335 | $299.62 | +16.0% | Feb 11, 2026 |
| Robert W. Baird | Andrew Wittmann | $327 | $299.62 | +13.2% | Feb 11, 2026 |
| Stifel Nicolaus | Analyst unavailable | $337 | $299.62 | +16.7% | Feb 11, 2026 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $295 | $270.96 | +2.1% | Jan 7, 2026 |
| Evercore ISI | Eric Boyes | $300 | $256.4 | +3.8% | Nov 3, 2025 |
| UBS | Analyst unavailable | $291 | $256.18 | +0.7% | Oct 31, 2025 |
| BMO Capital | John McNulty | $307 | $260.56 | +6.3% | Oct 30, 2025 |
| Mizuho Securities | John Roberts | $315 | $268.28 | +9.0% | Oct 29, 2025 |
| Stifel Nicolaus | Analyst unavailable | $300 | $265.41 | +3.8% | Oct 29, 2025 |
| Robert W. Baird | Analyst unavailable | $307 | $268.28 | +6.3% | Oct 29, 2025 |
| Barclays | Manav Patnaik | $300 | $268.28 | +3.8% | Oct 29, 2025 |
| UBS | Joshua Spector | $299 | $278.91 | +3.5% | Oct 6, 2025 |
| BMO Capital | John McNulty | $310 | $275.35 | +7.3% | Sep 8, 2025 |
| Jefferies | Andrew Andersen | $426 | $265.09 | +47.5% | Jul 30, 2025 |
| Wells Fargo | Jason Haas | $260 | $262.38 | -10.0% | May 20, 2025 |
| Robert W. Baird | Andrew Wittmann | $277 | $253.66 | -4.1% | Apr 2, 2025 |
| UBS | Joshua Spector | $276 | $244.5 | -4.5% | Nov 4, 2024 |
| BMO Capital | John McNulty | $279 | $254.46 | -3.4% | Oct 30, 2024 |
| Citigroup | Pat Cunningham | $292 | $253.76 | +1.1% | Oct 29, 2024 |
| Morgan Stanley | Vincent Andrews | $240 | $254.26 | -16.9% | Oct 29, 2024 |
| Jefferies | Laurence Alexander | $310 | $257.1 | +7.3% | Oct 18, 2024 |
| Wells Fargo | Jason Haas | $295 | $251.02 | +2.1% | Oct 7, 2024 |
| Piper Sandler | Charles Neivert | $305 | $254.82 | +5.6% | Sep 26, 2024 |
| RBC Capital | Ashish Sabadra | $306 | $250.54 | +5.9% | Sep 16, 2024 |
| Mizuho Securities | John Roberts | $291 | $250.87 | +0.7% | Sep 3, 2024 |
| Wells Fargo | Jason Haas | $270 | $237.24 | -6.5% | Aug 12, 2024 |
| Bank of America Securities | Steve Byrne | $272 | $228.86 | -5.8% | Jul 31, 2024 |
| Deutsche Bank | David Begleiter | $245 | $228.86 | -15.2% | Jul 31, 2024 |
| Citigroup | Pat Cunningham | $265 | $228.86 | -8.3% | Jul 31, 2024 |
| UBS | Joshua Spector | $282 | $242.84 | -2.4% | Jul 9, 2024 |
| Stifel Nicolaus | Shlomo Rosenbaum | $283 | $238.19 | -2.0% | Jul 8, 2024 |
| RBC Capital | Ashish Sabadra | $260 | $234.69 | -10.0% | May 21, 2024 |
| UBS | Joshua Spector | $270 | $234.69 | -6.5% | May 21, 2024 |
| BMO Capital | John McNulty | $234 | $224.84 | -19.0% | May 1, 2024 |
| Mizuho Securities | John Roberts | $260 | $220.75 | -10.0% | Apr 12, 2024 |
| Piper Sandler | Charles Neivert | $260 | $227.45 | -10.0% | Apr 3, 2024 |
| Barclays | Manav Patnaik | $260 | $222.09 | -10.0% | Feb 28, 2024 |
| RBC Capital | Ashish Sabadra | $213 | $188.61 | -26.3% | Jul 18, 2023 |
| Mizuho Securities | Christopher Parkinson | $177 | $173.36 | -38.7% | May 3, 2023 |
| Wells Fargo | Analyst unavailable | $168 | $152.72 | -41.8% | Jan 13, 2023 |
| Citigroup | Analyst unavailable | $164 | $150.44 | -43.2% | Dec 15, 2022 |
| Deutsche Bank | David Begleiter | $135 | $142.98 | -53.3% | Nov 2, 2022 |
| RBC Capital | Ashish Sabadra | $190 | $162.77 | -34.2% | Jul 26, 2022 |
| Credit Suisse | John Roberts | $195 | $148.17 | -32.5% | Jun 20, 2022 |
| UBS | Joshua Spector | $205 | $145.63 | -29.0% | Jun 17, 2022 |
| Mizuho Securities | Christopher Parkinson | $198 | $169.34 | -31.5% | Apr 29, 2022 |
| J.P. Morgan | Analyst unavailable | $190 | $168.47 | -34.2% | Apr 27, 2022 |
| Atlantic Equities | Colin Isaac | $210 | $182.95 | -27.3% | Apr 10, 2022 |
| Bank of America Securities | Steve Byrne | $196 | $177.59 | -32.2% | Mar 25, 2022 |
| Deutsche Bank | David Begleiter | $210 | $178.64 | -27.3% | Feb 20, 2022 |
| RBC Capital | Ashish Sabadra | $225 | $182.22 | -22.1% | Feb 16, 2022 |
| Credit Suisse | Kevin Mcveigh | $215 | $182.22 | -25.6% | Feb 16, 2022 |
| Robert W. Baird | Andrew Wittmann | $198 | $182.66 | -31.5% | Feb 15, 2022 |
| Mizuho Securities | Chris Parkinson | $210 | $182.66 | -27.3% | Feb 15, 2022 |
| Goldman Sachs | Robert Koort | $194 | $194.46 | -32.8% | Jan 21, 2022 |
| Evercore ISI | Stephen Richardson | $235 | $219.64 | -18.7% | Dec 3, 2021 |
| Vertical Research | Kevin McCarthy | $189 | $217.1 | -34.6% | Sep 27, 2021 |
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Start freeCompany context
Snapshot as of publicationEcolab Inc. provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Global Water, Global Institutional & Specialty, Global Pest Elimination, and Global Life Sciences. The Global Water segment offers water treatment and process applications, and cleaning and sanitizing solutions to manufacturing, food and beverage processing, transportation, chemical, primary metals and mining, power generation, global refining, petrochemical, pulp and paper industries.…
Historical context
All ECL earningsBasic Materials peers this season
Latest reports in the same sector| Company | Quarter | EPS surprise | Market move | Headline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA Alcoa Corporation | FY2026 Q3 · Calendar Q4 2026 | +20.5% | +7.2% | Alcoa: Strong Q3 execution, with safety and transaction risks ahead |
Latest beats and misses
Who reports nextBeat on EPS
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Sources
- Earnings call transcript and parsed analysis · 2026-05-11T10:29:34.698584+00:00
- FN2 earnings calendar · 2025-01-28T00:00:20.742579+00:00
- Polygon adjusted daily market bars · 2026-10-18T10:50:42.332601+00:00
- Financial Modeling Prep analyst price-target consensus and quote snapshot · 2026-10-18T10:50:42.329447+00:00
Methodology
Reported and consensus figures come from FN2's earnings event records. Market reaction and volume are calculated from daily adjusted bars around the event; abnormal move subtracts the SPY move over the same window.
Analyst target low, average, and high values are derived at request time from each named analyst's latest persisted FMP target. The current-price marker comes from FN2's persisted market snapshot. They are sell-side estimates, not an FN2 valuation or recommendation.
Transcript intelligence is a structured synthesis of the current and prior earnings-call analyses. Missing values stay missing and are never estimated.
By FN2 Research · Updated · As of 2026-10-18. For educational purposes only; not investment advice.