pretickt

Is ECL a good stock to buy?

Ecolab Inc. · end-of-day data as of Nov 13, 2026

Ecolab
ECL · $86.74B
$309.27+1.6%
Nov 13, 2026 · close
$280$300SepOctNov9:3016:003 months +10.7%Nov 13 · close
▲ 5
  • PT$337.20 +9.0%
  • ConsensusBuy · 25
  • Trendbullish
  • MAs4 of 4
  • MACD0.06
Neutral
  • Earnings in88d
  • P/E42.1x
  • RSI62
  • Support-1.9%
  • Off 52w high-3.0%
  • Volume0.7x
  • Bollingerupper half
  • News0.00
  • FCF yield+2.1%
  • 52w range$243–$319
  • ATR+2.2%
  • Off ATH-3.0%
▼ 4
  • P/E vs own+14.6%
  • P/E vs sector+101.7%
  • Insiders-$3.8M
  • Sector▼ -7.0%

Updates with the 15-min delayed price. Not a forecast or investment advice.

Is Ecolab a good stock to buy?

Ecolab is strong on 2 of the 5 questions about the business; weak on execution. The price is about usual: 42.1 times its earnings, near its 3-year median of 36.7 (Nov 13, 2026). pretickt does not say whether to buy or sell.

  1. Demand steady
  2. Advantage hard to copy
  3. Economics profits steady
  4. Execution misses
  5. Fragility sturdy
  6. Price about usual
DemandDo people want more of what it sells?steady

ECL sales growth revenue growth

+4%a year, for the last 3 years

Ecolab's sales grew 4% a year for 3 years, to $16.08B in fiscal 2025.

ECL analysts' forecast revenue estimates

+11%the sales they expect next fiscal year, on the last

Analysts expect Ecolab's sales to grow 11% to $17.92B in fiscal 2026 (17 analysts).

ECL competitors

pretickt analysis+9%its sales in 12 months, on a year before

Ecolab's sales grew 9% in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, faster than Linde (+8%), Air Products and Chemicals (+8%) and Sherwin-Williams (+7%), slower than PPG Industries (+18%).

Advantage moatIs it hard to copy?hard to copy

ECL margin on each sale gross margin

44%left after making the product

Ecolab kept 44% of each sale after making the product in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026; its competitors' median is 39%.

EconomicsDoes it make good money?profits steady

ECL cash generated free cash flow

$1.8Bcash left after investing, last 12 months

Ecolab generated $1.8B of free cash flow in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, less than its reported profit.

ECL profit per share

-1%in its last fiscal year

Ecolab's earnings per share fell 1% in fiscal 2025, to $7.28.

ExecutionDoes it deliver what it promises?misses

ECL earnings vs estimates

2 of 8quarters above the analysts' estimate

Ecolab beat the analysts' profit estimate in 2 of its last 8 quarters, the latest on Oct 27, 2026.

ECL insider selling

-$17.35Msold, net, by its executives in 12 months

Ecolab's executives and directors sold a net $17.35M of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026 ($21.47M sold, $4.12M bought).

ECL number of employees

0%about as many people as a year before

Ecolab had 48,000 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, about as many as a year before.

ECL CEO pay

$17.4Mfor fiscal 2025, 68% of it in stock and options

Ecolab paid its CEO $17.4M for fiscal 2025, 68% of it in stock and options.

Fragility risksCould something break it?sturdy

ECL financial health Altman Z-score

4.0Altman Z-score, safe above 3

Ecolab's Altman Z-score is 4.0 (Nov 13, 2026), above 3, where the safe zone starts.

ECL quality checks Piotroski score

4 of 9checks passed

Ecolab passes 4 of the 9 Piotroski checks in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026; it misses on return on assets, long-term debt, the current ratio, gross margin and sales for its assets.

ECL biggest customers

under 10%of sales from any one customer

No customer made 10% of Ecolab's sales in fiscal 2025.

ECL in past recessions

pretickt analysis-6%its sales in the worst one

Ecolab's sales fell in each of the last 2 US recessions, by as much as 6% in fiscal 2020.

Price valuationIs the price reasonable?about usual

ECL price vs profit P/E ratio

42.1×a year's earnings

Ecolab's P/E ratio is 42.1 (Nov 13, 2026), near its 3-year median of 36.7.

ECL price vs competitors

pretickt analysis42.1×a year's earnings, against its competitors

Investors pay 42.1 times Ecolab's earnings (Nov 13, 2026), more than for Linde (35.0), Sherwin-Williams (32.2) and PPG Industries (17.5), less than for Air Products and Chemicals (132.4).

ECL analysts' target price target

+9%to their average target

Analysts' average price target for Ecolab is $337, 9% above the Nov 13, 2026 close of $309.27.

ECL growth priced in fair value

pretickt analysis+19%a year, for ten years, to be worth the price

At $309.27 a share, Ecolab's free cash flow must grow about 19% a year for ten years to be worth the price (Nov 13, 2026).

What is Ecolab's P/E ratio?

Ecolab's P/E ratio is 42.1 (Nov 13, 2026), near its 3-year median of 36.7. Investors pay 42.1 times Ecolab's earnings (Nov 13, 2026), more than for Linde (35.0), Sherwin-Williams (32.2) and PPG Industries (17.5), less than for Air Products and Chemicals (132.4).

Who are Ecolab's biggest competitors?

pretickt compares Ecolab with Sherwin-Williams, Air Products and Chemicals, Linde and PPG Industries. Ecolab's sales grew 9% in the 12 months to Sep 30, 2026, faster than Linde (+8%), Air Products and Chemicals (+8%) and Sherwin-Williams (+7%), slower than PPG Industries (+18%).

Are insiders selling Ecolab stock?

Ecolab's executives and directors sold a net $17.35M of shares in the 12 months to Nov 13, 2026 ($21.47M sold, $4.12M bought).

How many employees does Ecolab have?

Ecolab had 48,000 employees at the end of fiscal 2025, about as many as a year before.

Who are Ecolab's biggest customers?

No customer made 10% of Ecolab's sales in fiscal 2025.

From the companies' statements (FMP), their filings read by pretickt, the analysts and the insiders, as of Nov 13, 2026. Each card says what a fact means for its question, never what to do with the stock: for information only, not investment advice.