Endurance Wealth Management Inc. grew its position in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL – Get Rating) by 4.4% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 40,712 shares of the basic materials company's stock after acquiring an additional 1,718 shares during the quarter. Endurance Wealth Management Inc.'s holdings in Ecolab were worth $6,260,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. US Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Ecolab in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $25,000. O Dell Group LLC grew its stake in Ecolab by 62.1% during the 1st quarter. O Dell Group LLC now owns 188 shares of the basic materials company's stock worth $33,000 after buying an additional 72 shares during the last quarter. Riverview Trust Co bought a new position in Ecolab during the 1st quarter worth $34,000. Citizens National Bank Trust Department bought a new position in Ecolab during the 4th quarter worth $35,000. Finally, Intelligent Financial Strategies bought a new position in Ecolab during the 4th quarter worth $35,000. 87.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Ecolab Stock Performance

Shares of ECL stock opened at $145.92 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15, a current ratio of 1.29 and a quick ratio of 0.84. Ecolab Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $143.34 and a fifty-two week high of $238.93. The stock's 50-day moving average is $164.03 and its two-hundred day moving average is $165.11. The firm has a market cap of $41.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.00, a PEG ratio of 2.46 and a beta of 1.01.

Ecolab Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, October 17th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, September 20th will be issued a dividend of $0.51 per share. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.40%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, September 19th. Ecolab's dividend payout ratio is 53.13%.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Arthur J. Higgins sold 3,200 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $166.74, for a total transaction of $533,568.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 22,530 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,756,652.20. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In other Ecolab news, EVP Angela M. Busch sold 2,300 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $170.66, for a total value of $392,518.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 16,716 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,852,752.56. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Arthur J. Higgins sold 3,200 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $166.74, for a total transaction of $533,568.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 22,530 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,756,652.20. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have purchased 274,284 shares of company stock valued at $47,244,385. Insiders own 1.04% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts recently commented on the company. Northcoast Research upgraded Ecolab from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $188.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Tuesday, September 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their target price on Ecolab from $195.00 to $180.00 in a report on Wednesday, July 27th. Credit Suisse Group raised Ecolab from a "neutral" rating to an "outperform" rating and upped their target price for the company from $180.00 to $195.00 in a report on Friday, June 3rd. BMO Capital Markets initiated coverage on Ecolab in a research note on Friday, June 3rd. They issued a "hold" rating and a $191.00 price objective for the company. Finally, UBS Group reduced their price objective on Ecolab to $198.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 27th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Ecolab presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $194.06.

About Ecolab

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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.

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