ECL

AI Research

12-15% EPS Growth Guided + $500M Expansion Plan → Dividend Record Date Today at $0.73/Share

Ecolab projects 3-4% organic sales growth, upper single-digit total sales growth, 100-150 basis points of margin expansion, and 12-15% EPS growth for 2026, underpinned by a $500 million capacity expansion and a 10-14% energy surcharge to counteract global energy price increases. The company reported its last quarterly EPS of $2.08, beating the $2.07 consensus, with a net margin of 12.91%, and today (March 17) is the dividend record date with $0.73 per share declared. The stock has a Buy consensus from 15 analysts with a $317.40 price target, though recent leadership changes and restructuring initiatives highlight the ongoing efficiency drive.