Ecolab Inc. (ECL), headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services. With a market cap of $75.4 billion, the company's services include food safety, sanitation, optimization of water and energy use, improvement of operational efficiency and sustainability. The global leader in the cleaning and sanitation industry is expected to announce its fiscal first-quarter earnings for 2026 before the market opens on Tuesday, Apr. 28.
Ahead of the event, analysts expect ECL to report a profit of $1.70 per share on a diluted basis, up 13.3% from $1.50 per share in the year-ago quarter. The company beat or matched the consensus estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing the forecast on another occasion.
For the full year, analysts expect ECL to report EPS of $8.46, up 12.4% from $7.53 in fiscal 2025. Its EPS is expected to rise 15.1% year over year to $9.74 in fiscal 2027.
ECL stock has underperformed the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX) 30.3% gains over the past 52 weeks, with shares up 12.3% during this period. Similarly, it underperformed the State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF’s (XLB) 29% returns over the same time frame.
On Feb. 10, ECL shares closed up by 4% after reporting its Q4 results. Its adjusted EPS of $2.08 exceeded Wall Street expectations of $2.06. The company’s revenue of $4.20 billion, topping Wall Street forecasts of $4.19 billion. ECL expects full-year adjusted EPS in the range of $8.43 to $8.63.
Analysts’ consensus opinion on ECL stock is reasonably bullish, with a “Moderate Buy” rating overall. Out of 28 analysts covering the stock, 15 advise a “Strong Buy” rating, two suggest a “Moderate Buy,” and 11 give a “Hold.” ECL’s average analyst price target is $322.10, indicating a potential upside of 20.6% from the current levels.
On the date of publication, Neha Panjwani did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.
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