FrançaisAre analysts right about Ecolab (ECL)?
📈 See the interactive version (live chart) →
Historical analyst accuracy
For Ecolab, we replayed every analyst price target of the past 12 months and measured the real outcome: 38% were profitable, average return +13% (148 calls). At 3 months: +2% average return (38% profitable). The higher the %, the more often analysts were right on this stock.
Most reliable analysts on this stock (past track record)
Their past track record on this stock (targets replayed against real prices) — not a forecast of what will happen.
| Analyst / broker | Calls i | % profitable i | Avg return i |
|---|---|---|---|
| RBC Capital | 25 | 56% | +19% |
| Barclays | 12 | 50% | +15% |
| Deutsche Bank | 11 | 27% | +6% |
| Wells Fargo | 11 | 82% | +23% |
| JP Morgan | 9 | 33% | +5% |
Valuation
Is Ecolab overvalued, and is it a good time to buy Ecolab right now? If you're wondering, here's a recap to make up your own mind: Ecolab's valuation vs its sector median, to weigh alongside analyst reliability (above) and past performance. Educational information, not buy advice.
The P/E (price ÷ earnings per share) = how many years of earnings you pay for the stock. The higher it is, the more growth the market expects — but the pricier the stock, so more vulnerable if growth disappoints. The forward P/E uses next year's expected earnings: lower than the current P/E = rising expected earnings. We compare it to the sector median to see whether the stock is expensive relative to its peers.
| Metric | Ecolab | Sector median (Materials) |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 39.1 | 23.4 |
| Forward P/E | 30.4 | 15.9 |
| Net margin | 13% | 8% |
👉 Ecolab trades above its sector median (39.1 vs 23.4) — the market expects higher growth; watch out for disappointment.
📖 P/E, PEG, margin…: see the glossary
💵 Dividend : Ecolab pays about $2.84/share/yr → 1.02% yield. what is this?
Frequently asked questions
Is Ecolab a buy right now?
The analyst consensus on Ecolab (ECL) is "Buy" (32 bullish, 0 bearish calls over 12 months). This is not advice: historically, 38% of their targets on this stock turned out profitable over 1 year.
What is Ecolab's price target?
The median 12-month price target is $328 (+15% vs $286), ranging from $295 to $360 (12 analysts).
Are analysts accurate on Ecolab?
Over 1 year, 38% of analyst targets on Ecolab were profitable, for an average return of +13% (across 148 timestamped calls). This is JPI Invest's accuracy metric.
What is the Ecolab stock forecast?
Analysts target a median of $328 within 12 months, i.e. +15% vs the current price. The most bullish targets $360, the most cautious $295.
What is the Ecolab stock forecast for 2026 or long term (2030)?
Note: analyst targets are 12-month (median $328, +15%), NOT 2030. No reliable 5-10 year price forecast exists (« 2030 prediction » models are speculative). The most useful inputs: the 12-month median above, these analysts' historical accuracy (38%), and the stock's past trajectory.
Is Ecolab overvalued?
Its P/E is 39.1, forward P/E 30.4. A forward P/E lower than the current P/E means earnings are expected to grow.
📊 See the full interactive analysis of Ecolab →
What is JPI Invest?
JPI Invest aggregates analyst recommendations across the entire S&P 500 (plus the S&P MidCap 400), replays them against real prices and measures who predicts best — on results, not reputation. Instead of taking a price target at face value, you see each analyst's track record on each stock.
- 🏆 Analyst leaderboard by real reliability (beating their sector, not just riding the rally)
- 🎯 What to buy: 3 backtested methods over 6 years, from cautious to aggressive
- 💬 AI assistant: ask anything about any stock, with the numbers
- 📊 Portfolio tracking + 🔔 price alerts by email
⚠️ Educational information, not investment advice. Analyst price targets are 12-month and can be wrong. Data via Yahoo Finance, recomputed by JPI Invest.