
Ecolab Inc (ECL) is a leading specialty chemicals business with stocks listed in the US. It opened the day at US$191.66 after a previous close of US$191.73. During the day the price has varied from a low of USD191.14 to a high of USD193.15. The latest price was USD192.4 (25 minute delay). Ecolab is listed on the NYSE. All prices are listed in US Dollars.
How to buy shares in Ecolab
- Compare share trading platforms. To buy shares in a company listed in the US from Australia you'll need to find a trading platform that offers access to US stock markets. Look for a platform with low brokerage and foreign exchange fees.
- Open and fund your brokerage account. Complete an application with your personal and financial details, which will typically include your ID and tax file number. Fund your account with a bank transfer, credit card or debit card.
- Search for Ecolab. Find the share by name or ticker symbol: ECL. Research its history to confirm it's a solid investment that matches your financial goals.
- Purchase now or later. Buy today with a market order or use a limit order to delay your purchase until Ecolab reaches your desired price. To spread out your risk, look into dollar-cost averaging, which smooths out buying using consistent intervals and amounts.
- Decide on how many to buy. At last close price of US$191.73, weigh your budget against a diversified portfolio that can minimise risk through the market's ups and downs. You may be able to buy a fractional share of Ecolab, depending on your broker.
- Check in on your investment. Congratulations, you own a part of Ecolab. Optimise your portfolio by tracking how your stock — and even the business — performs with an eye on the long term. You may be eligible for dividends and shareholder voting rights.
Our top pick for
US stocks

Our top pick for
Low costs

Our top pick for
Dividend investing

What's in this guide?
- Ecolab key stats
- Compare share trading platforms
- Is Ecolab stock a buy or sell?
- Ecolab performance over time
- Is Ecolab suitable for ethical investing?
- Are Ecolab shares over-valued?
- Ecolab's financials
- How volatile are Ecolab shares?
- Does Ecolab pay a dividend?
- Have Ecolab shares ever split?
- Other common questions
Ecolab stock price (NYSE:ECL)
Use our graph to track the performance of ECL stocks over time.Have Ecolab's shares ever split?
Ecolab's shares were split on a 2:1 basis on 9 June 2003. So if you had owned 1 share the day before the split, the next day you would own 2 shares. This wouldn't directly have changed the overall worth of your Ecolab shares – just the quantity. However, indirectly, the new 50% lower share price could have impacted the market appetite for Ecolab shares which in turn could have impacted Ecolab's share price.
Ecolab shares at a glance
Open | US$191.66 |
---|---|
High | US$193.15 |
Low | US$191.14 |
Close | US$192.4 |
Previous close | US$191.73 |
Change | US$0.67 |
Change % | 0.3494% |
Volume | 1,092,273 |
52-week range | US$138.8287 - US$190.8399 |
---|---|
50-day moving average | US$171.2992 |
200-day moving average | US$172.5098 |
Target price | US$194.84 |
PE ratio | 43.4432 |
Dividend yield | US$2.12 (1.13%) |
Earnings per share (TTM) | US$4.31 |
Use the fields above to explore the returns from a historical investment. Please refer to the charts further up this page to see performance over 5 years, or other periods. Past performance doesn't indicate future results. Capital is at risk.
Ecolab price performance over time
Historical closes compared with the last close of $192.4
1 week (2023-11-22) | 3.08% |
---|---|
1 month (2023-11-02) | 12.44% |
3 months (2023-09-01) | 5.31% |
6 months (2023-06-02) | 11.15% |
1 year (2022-12-02) | 27.11% |
---|---|
2 years (2021-12-02) | -14.36% |
3 years (2020-12-03) | -12.45% |
5 years (2018-12-03) | 20.61% |
Compare trading platforms to buy Ecolab shares
Is it a good time to buy Ecolab stock?
The technical analysis gauge below displays real-time ratings for the timeframes you select. However, this is not a recommendation. It represents a technical analysis based on the most popular technical indicators: Moving Averages, Oscillators and Pivots. Finder might not concur and takes no responsibility.
Is Ecolab under- or over-valued?
Valuing Ecolab stock is incredibly difficult, and any metric has to be viewed as part of a bigger picture of Ecolab's overall performance. However, analysts commonly use some key metrics to help gauge the value of a stock.
Ecolab's P/E ratio
Ecolab's current share price divided by its per-share earnings (EPS) over a 12-month period gives a "trailing price/earnings ratio" of roughly 43x. In other words, Ecolab shares trade at around 43x recent earnings.
That's relatively high compared to, say, the trailing 12-month P/E ratio for the NASDAQ 100 at the end of 2019 (27.29). The high P/E ratio could mean that investors are optimistic about the outlook for the shares or simply that they're over-valued.
Ecolab's PEG ratio
Ecolab's "price/earnings-to-growth ratio" can be calculated by dividing its P/E ratio by its growth – to give 2.0126. A low ratio can be interpreted as meaning the shares offer better value, while a higher ratio can be interpreted as meaning the shares offer worse value.
The PEG ratio provides a broader view than just the P/E ratio, as it gives more insight into Ecolab's future profitability. By accounting for growth, it could also help you if you're comparing the share prices of multiple high-growth companies.
Ecolab's EBITDA
Ecolab's EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) is US$3 billion (£2.4 billion).
The EBITDA is a measure of a Ecolab's overall financial performance and is widely used to measure a its profitability.
Ecolab share price volatility
Over the last 12 months, Ecolab's shares have ranged in value from as little as US$138.8287 up to US$190.8399. A popular way to gauge a stock's volatility is its "beta".
Beta measures a share's volatility in relation to the market. The market (NYSE average) beta is 1, while Ecolab's is 1.048. This would suggest that Ecolab's shares are a little bit more volatile than the average for this exchange and represent, relatively speaking, a slightly higher risk (but potentially also market-beating returns).
Ecolab financials
Revenue TTM | US$15.1 billion |
---|---|
Operating margin TTM | 14.72% |
Gross profit TTM | US$5.4 billion |
Return on assets TTM | 6.02% |
Return on equity TTM | 16.79% |
Profit margin | 8.18% |
Book value | 23.458 |
Market capitalisation | US$53.4 billion |
TTM: trailing 12 months
Ecolab share dividends
Dividend payout ratio: 43% of net profits
Recently Ecolab has paid out, on average, around 43% of net profits as dividends. That has enabled analysts to estimate a "forward annual dividend yield" of 1.13% of the current stock value. This means that over a year, based on recent payouts (which are sadly no guarantee of future payouts), Ecolab shareholders could enjoy a 1.13% return on their shares, in the form of dividend payments. In Ecolab's case, that would currently equate to about $2.12 per share.
While Ecolab's payout ratio might seem fairly standard, it's worth remembering that Ecolab may be investing much of the rest of its net profits in future growth.
Ecolab's most recent dividend payout was on 16 October 2023. The latest dividend was paid out to all shareholders who bought their shares by 18 September 2023 (the "ex-dividend date").
Ecolab's environmental, social and governance track record
Environmental, social and governance (known as ESG) criteria are a set of three factors used to measure the sustainability and social impact of companies like Ecolab.
When it comes to ESG scores, lower is better, and lower scores are generally associated with lower risk for would-be investors.
Ecolab's total ESG risk score
Total ESG risk: 25.82
Socially conscious investors use ESG scores to screen how an investment aligns with their worldview, and Ecolab's overall score of 25.82 (as at 01/01/2019) is nothing to write home about – landing it in it in the 42nd percentile of companies rated in the same sector.
ESG scores are increasingly used to estimate the level of risk a company like Ecolab is exposed to within the areas of "environmental" (carbon footprint, resource use etc.), "social" (health and safety, human rights etc.), and "governance" (anti-corruption, tax transparency etc.).
Ecolab's environmental score
Environmental score: 7.58/100
Ecolab's environmental score of 7.58 puts it squarely in the 1st percentile of companies rated in the same sector. This could suggest that Ecolab is a leader in its sector terms of its environmental impact, and exposed to a lower level of risk.
Ecolab's social score
Social score: 7.64/100
Ecolab's social score of 7.64 puts it squarely in the 1st percentile of companies rated in the same sector. This could suggest that Ecolab is a leader in its sector when it comes to taking good care of its workforce and the communities it impacts.
Ecolab's governance score
Governance score: 3.09/100
Ecolab's governance score puts it squarely in the 1st percentile of companies rated in the same sector. That could suggest that Ecolab is a leader in its sector when it comes to responsible management and strategy, and exposed to a lower level of risk.
Ecolab's controversy score
Controversy score: 2/5
ESG scores also evaluate any incidences of controversy that a company has been involved in. Ecolab scored a 2 out of 5 for controversy – the second-highest score possible, reflecting that Ecolab has, for the most part, managed to keep its nose clean.
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) summary
Ecolab Inc was last rated for ESG on: 2019-01-01.
Total ESG score | 25.82 |
---|---|
Total ESG percentile | 41.75 |
Environmental score | 7.58 |
Environmental score percentile | 1 |
Social score | 7.64 |
Social score percentile | 1 |
Governance score | 3.09 |
Governance score percentile | 1 |
Level of controversy | 2 |
Ecolab overview
Ecolab Inc. provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Global Industrial, Global Institutional & Specialty, and Global Healthcare & Life Sciences segments. 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. The Global Institutional & Specialty segment provides specialized cleaning and sanitizing products to the foodservice, hospitality, lodging, government and education, and retail industries. Its Global Healthcare & Life Sciences segment offers specialized cleaning and sanitizing products to the healthcare, personal care, and pharmaceutical industries, such as infection prevention and surgical solutions, and end-to-end cleaning and contamination control solutions under the Ecolab, Microtek, and Anios brand names. The company's Other segment offers pest elimination services to detect, eliminate, and prevent pests, such as rodents and insects in restaurants, food and beverage processors, educational and healthcare facilities, hotels, quick service restaurant and grocery operations, and other institutional and commercial customers. This segment also provides colloidal silica for binding and polishing applications in semiconductor, catalyst, and aerospace component manufacturing, as well as chemical industries; and products and services that manage wash process through custom designed programs, premium products, dispensing equipment, water and energy management, and reduction, as well as real time data management. It 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.
Stocks similar to Ecolab
Frequently asked questions
More guides on Finder
-
How to buy OpenAI stock in Australia
Looking to jump on the AI bandwagon? Here's how you can invest in ChatGPT and its parent company OpenAI from Australia.
-
Best performing stocks on the ASX in 2023 (Updated weekly)
Looking for the best performing stocks in Australia? We update this list weekly.
-
Cryptocurrency ETFs explained: A simple guide for investors (2023)
If you’re looking for ways to gain exposure to Bitcoin and other digital currencies, cryptocurrency ETFs could be worth exploring. Find out what crypto ETFs are and how they work in this introductory guide.
-
How to buy Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA ADR (GOL) shares in Australia
Steps to owning and managing Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes SA shares from Australia.
-
How to buy Microsoft (MSFT) shares in Australia
Steps to owning and managing Microsoft shares from in Australia.
-
A beginner’s guide to Lego investing
Looking for alternative investments? With a ROI of up to 3,593% lego may be worth considering. Read on to find out which lego sets are worth the investment.
-
The cheapest stock brokers in Australia (Dec 2023)
Find cheap stock brokerage in Australia when buying and selling shares on the ASX and other international exchanges.
-
What is the money market?
Learn about the money market and everyday consumer money market products.
-
Is investing in crowdfunding a safe investment?
Equity crowdfunding offers a unique opportunity for investors and for Australian startups, but Australia’s regulatory framework surrounding crowdfunding still lags behind the rest of the world.
-
The best trading platforms in Australia for 2023
Follow these tips to find the best share trading platform for you.
Ask an Expert