International Assets Investment Management LLC Boosts Holdings in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL)

International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its stake in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) by 27,950.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 738,567 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after buying an additional 735,934 shares during the period. International Assets Investment Management LLC owned about 0.26% of Ecolab worth $188,578,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Triad Wealth Partners LLC acquired a new position in Ecolab in the second quarter worth $26,000. PSI Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Ecolab in the second quarter worth about $27,000. Kings Path Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Ecolab during the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. LRI Investments LLC acquired a new stake in Ecolab during the 1st quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Ecolab during the 2nd quarter worth about $33,000. Institutional investors own 74.91% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity at Ecolab

In other Ecolab news, Director Victoria Reich sold 393 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $98,250.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 24,041 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,010,250. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In other Ecolab news, Director Victoria Reich sold 393 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total value of $98,250.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 24,041 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,010,250. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director David Maclennan purchased 650 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 2nd. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $240.41 per share, for a total transaction of $156,266.50. Following the transaction, the director now owns 17,967 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,319,446.47. This trade represents a 0.00 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 0.04% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts have weighed in on ECL shares. UBS Group lowered their target price on Ecolab from $288.00 to $276.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 15th. Citigroup raised Ecolab from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lowered their price target for the company from $267.00 to $265.00 in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Ecolab from $225.00 to $228.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 31st. Piper Sandler upped their target price on Ecolab from $270.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 26th. Finally, Bank of America upgraded Ecolab from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $251.00 to $272.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $271.80.

Ecolab Stock Performance

Ecolab stock opened at $253.59 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91, a current ratio of 1.50 and a quick ratio of 1.10. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $251.81 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $240.60. Ecolab Inc. has a 52-week low of $156.72 and a 52-week high of $262.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $72.42 billion, a P/E ratio of 46.96, a P/E/G ratio of 2.58 and a beta of 1.13.

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, July 30th. The basic materials company reported $1.68 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.67 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $3.99 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.03 billion. Ecolab had a return on equity of 21.65% and a net margin of 10.95%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.24 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Ecolab Inc. will post 6.65 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Ecolab Announces Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, October 15th. Investors of record on Tuesday, September 17th were issued a $0.57 dividend. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.90%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, September 17th. Ecolab’s dividend payout ratio is 42.22%.

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.