Ecolab Inc. (ECL)

Ecolab's stock price reached an all-time high of $284.78 on August 20, 2025. The company reported Q2 2025 earnings on July 29, 2025, and announced Q3 2025 earnings on October 28, 2025. For Q3 2025, Ecolab reported diluted EPS of $2.05, a 21% decrease, while adjusted diluted EPS increased by 13% to $2.07. The company provided a sharpened 2025 adjusted EPS outlook of $7.48 to $7.58 and declared a quarterly dividend of $0.65 per share, paid on October 15, 2025. Analyst ratings for Ecolab generally lean towards "Buy," with a consensus price target of $290.86 as of October 25, 2025.

Ecolab's business model is characterized by a high proportion of recurring revenue, with over 90% of its business stemming from consumable products and ongoing services. This recurring nature, coupled with the essential need for its products and services, suggests a generally consistent demand rather than significant seasonality.

Ecolab operates in the basic materials sector, focusing on specialty chemicals and consumer non-cyclical industries, producing items like soap, detergents, cleaning preparations, perfumes, and cosmetics. Its offerings include water treatment, cleaning and sanitizing solutions, hygiene and infection prevention, and pest elimination. The company also provides ultra-pure water technologies and solutions for data centers, serving markets such as manufacturing, food and beverage, chemical, mining, power generation, commercial laundry, restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and life sciences.

Ecolab has a significant global presence, serving over one million customer locations in more than 170 countries. In 2016, North America accounted for 58% of its revenue, followed by Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at 23%, Asia Pacific at 13%, and Latin America at 6%.

Ecolab maintains a strong brand reputation, evidenced by its recognition as one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" by Ethisphere for 19 consecutive years, including 2025, highlighting its commitment to ethics, integrity, and leadership. No significant negative events impacting Ecolab's brand reputation in the past year were found in the search results.

Institutional investors hold approximately 90% of Ecolab's stock. Major shareholders include Cascade Investment, L.L.C., The Vanguard Group, Inc., and BlackRock, Inc. Recent institutional activity in Q1 and Q2 2025 shows firms either acquiring new stakes or significantly increasing their holdings, while some institutions reduced their stakes during the second quarter of 2025. Insider transactions in August 2025 included a director purchasing 600 shares and other executives selling shares.