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Upturn AI Summary - About
Ecolab Inc(ECL)
Advisory History & Simulated Performance *
*as per simulation (see disclosures)- ALL
- 1Y
- 1M
- 1W
- BUY Advisory
- SELL Advisory (Profit)
- SELL Advisory (Loss)
- Profit
- Loss
- PASS (Skip)
Stock price based on last close Advisory Performance History (Simulated)
Upturn Advisory & Investor View for ECL
09/28/2026: ECL (3-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.
Ecolab is a prominent provider of water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions, operating a global business model built on essential, recurring services. The company is known for its strong market position in the industrial and institutional sectors, anchored by proprietary digital monitoring technologies like 3D TRASAR. Its growth story is increasingly driven by sustainability trends and expansion into high-growth areas like data center cooling and life sciences. While the company maintains stable, high-quality earnings, investors should monitor input cost inflation and the integration risks of its M&A strategy. Ecolab often suits long-term, dividend-focused, or low-volatility investors seeking exposure to environmental and industrial efficiency trends.
How to Read the Upturn Advisory
The Upturn Star Rating and the current BUY, SELL, or PASS advisory are generated by Upturn’s AI advisory engine based on proprietary signal analysis, price behavior, advisory history, and historical signal performance.
Company fundamentals, valuation, risks, and news provide supporting context about the business.
Investor Fit
| Investor style | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth investor | Strong fit | Ecolab offers consistent, long-term growth driven by secular trends in water scarcity and hygiene requirements. |
| Momentum investor | Strong fit while signal remains positive | The stock often exhibits steady price appreciation when the company's growth initiatives align with market expansion phases. |
| Value investor | Mixed fit | The company historically trades at a premium valuation due to its quality and market position, which may limit appeal for deep value seekers. |
| Dividend investor | Strong fit | Ecolab has a long history of dividend growth, making it attractive for investors seeking reliable income streams. |
| Low-risk investor | Strong fit | The company's defensive business model provides relatively lower volatility compared to pure-play industrial cyclicals. |
Risk Profile
| Risk factor | Level | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Price volatility | Medium | While generally stable, the stock can experience sensitivity to broader market trends and input cost shocks. |
| Valuation risk | Medium / high | Investors may overpay during periods of market exuberance given the company's consistent 'quality stock' status. |
| Competition risk (Specialty chemicals) | Medium | Ecolab faces constant pressure from regional competitors in localized markets and larger industrial players in specific niches. |
| Business quality | Strong | The high recurring revenue nature and sticky customer relationships represent a franchise quality that limits downside risk. |
| Dividend income | Low | The dividend is highly stable and backed by strong free cash flow, presenting very little risk to income investors. |
| Execution risk | Medium | Integrating large acquisitions like Purolite while maintaining organic growth requires disciplined management execution. |
Price Behavior
Flat / Range-Bound
The stock price has been trading within a narrow range with minimal directional movement.
Smooth
The stock has moved along a generally orderly path with only modest fluctuations.
Analysis of Past Performance
Type Stock | Historic Profit 21.78% | Avg. Invested days 53 | Today’s Advisory PASS |
Upturn Advisory Rating  | Upturn Advisory Performance  4.0 | Stock Returns Performance  3.0 |
| Profits based on simulation | Last Close 09/28/2026 |
Upturn Scorecard
Upturn Star Rating 
Company Fundamentals
Financial Health Rating
Growth Momentum Score
Ownership
Top 5 Institutional Investors
Unit Economics (Per $1K Revenue)
Economic Dimensions
Quantitative Style Profile
Style Classification
Quality Focused
Key Highlights
Company Size Large-Cap Stock | Market Capitalization 78.35B USD | Price to earnings Ratio 37.47 | 1Y Target Price 324.95 |
Price to earnings Ratio 37.47 | 1Y Target Price 324.95 | ||
Volume (30-day avg) 1.4M shares | Beta 0.89 | 52 Weeks Range 241.85 - 306.79 | Updated Date 09/27/2026 |
52 Weeks Range 241.85 - 306.79 | Updated Date 09/27/2026 | ||
Dividends yield (FY) 1.03% | Basic EPS (TTM) 7.46 |
How Company Makes Money
| Business area | What it includes | Retail investor read |
|---|---|---|
| Global Industrial | Water management and cleaning for food, beverage, and manufacturing plants. | This is the core industrial engine, focusing on efficiency and water conservation for large enterprise clients. |
| Global Institutional & Specialty | Cleaning, sanitizing, and pest control for restaurants and hospitals. | This segment provides steady, high-margin, and essential services to the service industry. |
| Geography (Global) | Operational presence across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. | Geographic diversification helps mitigate regional economic slowdowns. |
Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth
Revenue by Products
Product revenue - Year on Year
Revenue by Geography
Geography revenue - Year on Year
Valuation
Trailing PE 37.47 | Forward PE 29.67 | Enterprise Value 86.36B | Price to Sales(TTM) 4.65 |
Enterprise Value 86.36B | Price to Sales(TTM) 4.65 | ||
Enterprise Value to Revenue 5.13 | Enterprise Value to EBITDA 21.68 | Shares Outstanding 280.33M | Shares Floating 279.76M |
Shares Outstanding 280.33M | Shares Floating 279.76M | ||
Percent Insiders 0.15 | Percent Institutions 94.2 |
Upturn AI Summary
AI Summarization is directionally correct and might not be accurate.
Summarized information shown could be a few years old and not current.
Fundamental Rating based on AI could be based on old data.
AI-generated summaries may have inaccuracies (hallucinations). Please verify the information before taking action.
Financial Metrics
🧭 Investment Snapshot
Total Revenue (Scale)
Total money earned from selling products or services before any costs. It is needed to understand the scale of the business and its ability to generate income.
Net Income (Profit)
Final profit after all expenses, interest, and taxes are deducted. It is needed to determine the overall profitability available to shareholders.
Free Cash Flow (Cash Strength)
Cash remaining after operating activities and capital expenditures, showing cash available for growth. It is needed to evaluate the company’s ability to invest, pay dividends, or reduce debt.
📈 Growth & Strength
Operating Income (Core Profit)
Profit from core operations after deducting all operating expenses. It is needed to measure how efficiently the company runs its primary business activities.
EBITDA (Cash Earnings)
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, indicating operating cash potential. It is needed to compare operating performance across companies without accounting or financing differences.
Gross Profit (Unit Profitability)
Revenue minus cost of revenue, showing profit after direct production costs. It is needed to evaluate core business profitability before overhead expenses.
🛡️ Financial Safety
Cash (Liquidity Buffer)
Total cash and cash equivalents on hand. It is needed to evaluate immediate liquidity and financial flexibility.
Total Debt (Leverage Risk)
Total debt including both short-term and long-term components. It is needed to assess the company’s leverage and financial risk.
Net Working Capital (Short-Term Health)
Current assets minus current liabilities, indicating short-term liquidity strength. It is needed to assess whether the company can meet its short-term obligations.
🧱 Balance Sheet Strength
Stockholder Equity (Net Worth)
Total equity value held by shareholders. It is needed to understand the net worth of the company from the owners’ perspective.
Total Assets (Asset Base)
The full value of everything the company owns, including cash, inventory, equipment, and investments. It is needed to understand the resource base used to generate revenue.
Income Before Tax (Pre-Tax Earnings)
Income before provision for income taxes. It is needed to analyze profitability independent of tax structures.
⚙️ Cost & Drag Factors
Cost of Revenue (Production Cost)
Direct costs required to produce and deliver the products or services sold. It is needed to assess efficiency in production and service delivery.
Total Operating Expenses (Operating Cost)
Indirect costs of running the business such as salaries, marketing, and administration. It is needed to understand how much it costs to sustain ongoing business operations.
Income Tax Expense (Tax Drag)
Amount of taxes paid or payable to the government. It is needed to evaluate the impact of taxation on overall profitability.
About Ecolab Inc
Exchange NYSE | Headquarters Saint Paul, MN, United States | ||
IPO Launch date 1988-01-05 | CEO, President & Chairman of the Board Mr. Christophe Beck | ||
Sector Basic Materials | Industry Specialty Chemicals | Full time employees 48000 | Website https://www.ecolab.com |
Full time employees 48000 | Website https://www.ecolab.com | ||
Ecolab 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. The Global Institutional & Specialty segment provides cleaning and sanitizing products to the foodservice, healthcare, hospitality, lodging, government, education and retail industries. The Global Pest Elimination segment provides pest elimination services to detect, prevent, and eliminate pests comprising rodents and insects in full-service and quick-service restaurants, food and beverage processors, hotels, grocery operations, and other commercial segments, including education, life sciences, and healthcare. The Global Life Sciences segment provides cleaning and contamination control solutions to pharmaceutical and personal care manufacturers. It offers its products under the Ecolab, Kay, Purolite, and Bioquell brand names. The company sells its products through field sales and corporate account personnel, distributors, and dealers. Ecolab Inc. was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
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