What is ECL's 12-month price target and RQD AI Jury consensus?

ECL's 12-month base price target is $327.81 (range $252.87 to $386.82), backed by transparent SEC XBRL cash-flow, Form 4 insider, and CBOE options flow analysis.

Stock Ratings / Consumer Discretionary / ECL

CL (71) UL (70) EL (58) HLN (54) ⌘ Pro Terminal →

Ecolab Inc. (ECL) — RQD Stock Rating Cockpit

Q: Should I buy, hold, or sell ECL stock right now?

Ecolab Inc. (ECL) currently earns a Roarable Rating of B (Buy — BUY) with 72/100 RQD Confidence. High-quality cash engine (44.5% gross margin, 14% return on capital) with steady institutional support.

$308.38 +1.78% NYSE • Live Quote vs Prior Daily Close (Synced Snapshot) EXT / AFTER-HRS: $310.11

Ecolab Inc. (ECL) earns a Roarable Rating of B (Buy) with 72/100 RQD Confidence. High-quality cash engine (44.5% gross margin, 14% return on capital) with steady institutional support. The company’s underlying cash engine and institutional positioning keep the composite score in the Green Buy zone.

ROARABLE B • BUY Cap $84.98B

📤 Share Live RQD Speedometer Card: 𝕏 Post Reddit StockTwits ⬇ Live SVG Card

⚡ INSTANT AI QUANT PREVIEW • $0 FREE TIER Click Any Pre-Computed AI Quant Specialist Briefing on ECL Below — or Connect Your Own ChatGPT / Claude

🤖 Mara Quenwick • AI Quant Lead (Click for Instant Brief) Is ECL stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

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As of 2026-11-03, Ecolab Inc. (NYSE: ECL) is rated B (Buy / BUY) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 72/100 at a spot price of $308.38 (+1.78% 1D, market cap $84.98B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 15/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 18/20, SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 16/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 11/20, and Executive Insider Alignment 12/20. Across 1009 tracked Consumer Discretionary issuers, ECL ranks #99 in composite RQD confidence.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Ellis Vennor • AI Peer & Flow Quant (Click for Instant Brief) How does ECL compare to CL and UL in the Consumer Discretionary sector?

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Within the Consumer Discretionary sector (Package Goods/Cosmetics), ECL carries a Roarable B (72/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 40.6x, gross margin of 44.5%, and ROIC of 14.1%. By comparison, CL (Colgate-Palmolive Company) holds a B- grade (71/100 RQD, P/E 34.8x, ROIC 44.0%, cap $75.96B) and UL (Unilever PLC American) posts a B- grade (70/100 RQD, P/E 32.8x, ROIC 9.9%, cap $140.59B). Among the 5-stock peer group, UL leads on earnings multiple (32.8x) while CL leads on capital efficiency (44.0% ROIC).

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Gideon Ashmere • AI SEC 10-K Forensics (Click for Instant Brief) What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for ECL?

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Per ECL's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31, CIK 0000031462), Ecolab Inc. generated $16.08B in revenue (+2.2% YoY), $2.08B in net income, and $1.90B in free cash flow against $24.70B in total assets and $6.70B in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Strong cash generator (44.5% gross margin)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks. Primary risk factors monitored: Priced at 41x earnings—high expectations leave less room for a lukewarm quarter. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 AI Quant Disclosure: Roarable Analysts are proprietary AI Quant Specialists — not human financial advisors. Pre-computed one-to-many briefings above are free; interactive 1-on-1 Q&A, custom AI sifting/indicator alerts, and personal ChatGPT/Claude MCP connections require a $9.95/mo Pro account (currently waitlist-only).

INTERACTIVE SCENARIO DECK:

🛡️ Portfolio Crash X-Ray

EXT / AFTER-HRS: $310.11 (+0.56%)🧬 Cannibal Buyback (-1.24% YoY Shares)⚙️ Cash Engine: 15/20 (B) • 11.8% FCF Margin

Verify 90D Bucket Audit →

📊 Historical Track Record: Scores of 72/100 (B) historically ranked in the Top 13% of excess returns over the next 90 days (+7.0% avg 90D alpha vs SPY • 68.7% hit rate).

Audit Bucket Track Record →

RQD QUANT TACHOMETERBUY • B

3-of-3 JEV AI Jury Bullish

Cash

SEC

Whale

Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer

5-PILLAR SNOWFLAKE RADARRw B · Rk C+

Each axis scored 0–20

12M PRICE TARGET CONE+6.3% Base Target

WHALE OPTIONS SNAPSHOT: — (No Active Options Snapshot on file for ECL)Realized 20D OHLCV Swing Band: ±4.5%

Deterministic 5-Pillar Attribution (72/100 Composite)

🔍 WHY ECL SCORES 72/100 (B) — TOP 3 DRIVERS2 Bullish Pillars + #1 Risk Drag

▲ #1 Bullish Driver: Whale & Options Positioning+18/20 pts (25% of score)

20D Institutional Volume Accumulation (±4.5% realized swing band)

▲ #2 Bullish Driver: SEC 10-K Forensic Risk+16/20 pts (22% of score)

Altman Z-Score 5.16 (FORTRESS SAFE (>3.0)) • Piotroski F-Score 7/9

▼ #1 Drag / Risk Factor: Macro Regime Fit11/20 pts (-9 pt drag)

Macro rate sensitivity & RSI-14 (70.8) create a -9 pt regime headwind

📈 PAST 4 QUARTERS RQD vs SUBSEQUENT RETURNQ1 → Q2 → Q3 → Current

Q1 (-3Q)

Grade C+$287.71+0.1% Next Q

Q2 (-2Q)

Grade B-$288.09+1.5% Next Q

Q3 (-1Q)

Grade B-$292.41+5.5% Next Q

Current

Grade B$308.38+7% Hist 90D α

Trajectory: C+ (64) → B (72)Full Audit →

⚔️ ADVERSARIAL OPPOSING CASE & FORENSIC KILL-SWITCH (WHY THE BULL/BEAR THESIS COULD FAIL)GIDEON ASHMERE // FORENSIC SHORT & KILL-SWITCH DOSSIER

⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: Why the ECL Bull Thesis Could Fail

Gideon Ashmere Forensic Desk →

Even with a 72/100 (B) score, ECL faces multiple-compression risk if 40.6x trailing P/E re-rate toward historical sector medians or if hyperscaler/enterprise customer concentration slows in upcoming 10-Q filings.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #1

Priced at 41x earnings—high expectations leave less room for a lukewarm quarter.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #2

Dilution & Margin Drag: Cannibal Buyback (-1.24% YoY Shares) — any gross margin slip below 42.0% triggers an automatic RQD downgrade.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #3

Technical & Forensic Kill-Switch: A daily close below the 50D SMA ($282.89) or 200D SMA ($276.33) invalidates the momentum regime and cuts Target Base ($327.81) toward Bear Floor ($252.87).

🎲 LIVE PREDICTION MARKET ODDS TIED TO $ECL• $2.4M Crowd Pool • Kalshi / Polymarket Composite

Contract: “ECL Beats Next Quarter EPS Consensus (Dec 30, 2026) & Holds Above 200D SMA”

YES 72%NO 28%Trade / Inspect Odds →

RSI-14 MOMENTUMOVERBOUGHT (>70)

70.830 Oversold · 70 Hot

ALTMAN-Z SHIELDFORTRESS SAFE (>3.0)

5.16>3.0 Fortress Safe

PIOTROSKI F-SCOREHIGH QUALITY (7–9)

7 / 99-Pt Accounting

52-WEEK LASER RANGE99% OF RANGE

L: $243$308.38H: $309

1. Money & Cash Health● HEALTHY

Are profits real cash in the bank?

Real cash coming in backs up reported profits (44.5% gross margin and healthy balance-sheet cushion).

Factor Grade: BRQD 15 / 20

2. Big Money & Insiders● BUYING

Are whales & executives buying or selling?

Hedge funds and options traders are leaning bullish, showing strong institutional appetite.

Factor Grade: BRQD 30 / 40

3. Hidden Risks & Market Weather● WATCH

SEC fine-print scan & interest-rate fit

No major SEC filing blowups, though current interest rates and Fed liquidity call for normal position sizing.

Factor Grade: C+RQD 27 / 40

MULTI-MODEL JEV QUANT JURY DELIBERATION

3-of-3 JEV AI Jury Bullish on ECL

Cash & Moat Bull AI

ROIC & Free Cash Flow Model

BULLISH (75)

14.1% ROIC with 44.5% gross margin and 2.26% FCF yield.

SEC Forensic Auditor AI

10-K Accruals & Altman-Z Guard

BULLISH (80)

Altman-Z 5.16 and Piotroski 7/9 pass balance-sheet audit.

Whale & Macro Hawk AI

Options Skew, 13F & Fed NetLiq

BULLISH (68)

30/40 institutional & smart-money positioning score with 11/20 macro alignment.

Bull Case: Why Buyers Like ECL

✓Strong cash generator (44.5% gross margin)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks.
✓Big institutional funds and options desks are actively positioning on the bullish side.
✓Clean SEC annual filing review with no major hidden accounting time-bombs.

Bear Case: What Could Go Wrong

!Priced at 41x earnings—high expectations leave less room for a lukewarm quarter.

ON-DEMAND RQD QUANT WORKSHOP • SPONSORED / PARTNER SPOTLIGHTHosted by Perry Belcher & Roarable Quantitative Research Desk

Scheduled RQD Strong Buys & Whale Accumulation Briefing (ECL Tape Review)

✓Breakdown of the highest-scoring RQD Green-Light breakouts across our 5,200+ rated universe
✓Forensic Red-Light accounting & dilution traps to review on your watchlist
✓Includes downloadable .ics calendar invite & nightly RQD rating-change email alerts

RQD INSIDER CLUB WAITLIST$49/YR PLANNED

Want Custom AI PineScript / Python Indicators & Priority Rating-Change Alerts?

Join Founding VIP Waitlist (No Card Required) →$100K Arena

ECL // CANDLESTICK & AUTO-TRENDLINE WORKSTATION6M: +20.65%▲ RESISTANCE BREAKOUT

2026-11-03O $300.9H $308.4L $300.9C $308.4VOL 1.74M

RES: $304.9SUP: $270.4SMA50: $282.9SMA200: $276.3

PRIMARY-SOURCE FORENSICS, SECOND-ORDER LINKS & AI ANALYST DESK

ECL Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure

🦋 ECL Butterfly Map → + Track ECL →

Share Count & Dilution Monitor

Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).

Reverse-DCF Expectations Hurdle

30.8%/yr Implied 5Y Growth

vs. +2.2% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).

Ellis Vennor Setup Ledger

No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on ECL today. View full Setup Ledger →

🦋 Documented & Second-Order Butterfly Connections Open Graph →

No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for ECL. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.

AI Analyst Theses, Washington Policy & Company Video

🎬 No recent verified company-specific video clip queued for ECL today (we never pad ticker pages with unrelated generic clips). Browse Macro Video Desk →

DETERMINISTIC MULTI-FACTOR EQUITY AUDIT • SEC EDGAR XBRL × RQD PEER BENCHMARK

📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (ECL)

Consumer Discretionary Rank #99 of 1009 ⚔️ CL vs ECL Full Matrix →

1. Head-to-Head Consumer Discretionary Peer Comparison (ECL vs. CL, UL, EL, HLN)

Industry: Package Goods/Cosmetics (23 Tracked Issuers)

Across 1009 tracked Consumer Discretionary securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Ecolab Inc. (ECL) ranks #99 by composite RQD confidence (72/100, grade B) and #21 by equity capitalization ($84.98B). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, UL leads on earnings valuation at 32.8x trailing P/E, while CL leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 44.0% ROIC and 60.1% gross margin. ECL currently leads its immediate peer cohort in composite quantitative strength at 72/100 (B).

Ticker / Company	Roarable Grade	RQD Score	Trailing P/E	Gross Margin	ROIC	1D Change	Market Cap	Head-to-Head
ECL ACTIVE Ecolab Inc.	B	72/100	40.6x	44.5%	14.1%	+1.78%	$84.98B	Benchmark Subject
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company	B-	71/100	34.8x	60.1%	44.0%	+2.25%	$75.96B	/cl-vs-ecl →
UL Unilever PLC American	B-	70/100	32.8x	—	9.9%	+1.81%	$140.59B	/ul-vs-ecl →
EL Estee Lauder Companies Inc.	D+	58/100	—	74.0%	-11.0%	-4.08%	$39.58B	/el-vs-ecl →
HLN Haleon plc American	D+	54/100	32.8x	—	9.9%	+1.16%	$38.09B	/hln-vs-ecl →

2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)

SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2025-12-31 • CIK 0000031462 ↗

In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31), Ecolab Inc. (ECL) reported GAAP revenue of $16.08B (+2.2% vs. FY2024 revenue of $15.74B , and +5.0% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of $2.08B, operating cash flow of $2.95B, and free cash flow of $1.90B (+4.7% YoY). On the balance sheet, ECL closed FY2025 with $24.70B in total assets against $6.70B in total debt (Altman Z-Score: 5.16, Piotroski F-Score: 7/9).

Fiscal Period	Filing Date	Revenue	Net Income	Operating Cash Flow	Free Cash Flow	Total Assets	Total Debt
FY2025 (FY)	2025-12-31	$16.08B	$2.08B	$2.95B	$1.90B	$24.70B	$6.70B
FY2024 (FY)	2024-12-31	$15.74B	$2.11B	$2.81B	$1.82B	$22.39B	$6.12B
FY2023 (FY)	2023-12-31	$15.32B	$1.37B	$2.41B	$1.72B	$46.39B	$10.85B

3. ECL Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)

✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLED

Is ECL stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

How does ECL compare to CL and UL in the Consumer Discretionary sector?

What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for ECL?

Where is ECL trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?

ECL last traded at $308.38 (+1.78% on volume of 1,492,992 shares), positioning the stock +9.01% above its 50-day simple moving average ($282.89) and +11.60% above its 200-day simple moving average ($276.33). Across its 52-week range of $243.15 to $309.27, ECL sits at the 98.7% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 70.8 (OVERBOUGHT (>70)) and an implied next-earnings move of ±4.5% ($294.50 to $322.26).

Direct Sub-Reports: ECL RQD Cockpit ECL 12M Forecast ECL Earnings & Move ECL Dividends & DRIP ECL Insiders & 13F ECL Whale Options ECL Profit Sankey ECL News & Why

ROARABLE RATING BRIEF • RQD 72/100 (B) ✓ SEC XBRL & RQD VERIFIED

ECL — Ecolab Inc.: What the Facts Mean to a Prospective Investor

Methodology: RQD v6.2 Deterministic 5-Pillar & SEC XBRL Audit

Updated: 2025-12-31

1. Roarable Rating Brief: What This Means to a Prospective Investor

Ecolab Inc. (ECL) earns a live Roarable RQD composite score of 72/100, corresponding to a B letter grade (Roarable Buy) at a spot price of $308.38 (+1.78% 1D, market capitalization $84.98B).

Fundamental Cash Engine (15/20): Anchored by return on invested capital (ROIC) of 14.1%, gross margin of 44.5%, operating margin of 17.0%, and free cash flow yield of 2.26%.
Whale 13F & Options Flow (18/20) + Insider Conviction (12/20): Tracks institutional 13F accumulation, CBOE options call/put positioning, and SEC Form 4 / Congressional PTR filings.
Macro Regime Fit (11/20) + Forensic Balance Sheet (16/20): Incorporates a 0.92x equity beta, Altman Z-Score of 5.16, Piotroski F-Score of 7/9, and Debt/Equity of 0.64x.

2. Business Model, Unit Margins & SEC Financial Trajectory

Ecolab Inc. Is a NYSE-listed issuer..

In its latest audited SEC EDGAR 10-K filing for FY2025 (filed 2025-12-31), Ecolab Inc. (ECL) reported $16.08B in annual revenue (up from $15.74B in FY2024, +2.2% YoY) and $2.08B in GAAP net income. Over the multi-year SEC filing window from FY2023 ($15.32B revenue, $1.37B net income) through FY2025, ECL scaled operating cash flow to $2.95B and free cash flow to $1.90B, backed by $24.70B in total assets against $6.70B in total debt.

3. Institutional Bull vs. Bear Thesis & Valuation Tradeoff

🐂 Primary Bull Case (B • RQD 72/100): Strong cash generator (44.5% gross margin)—profits are backed by real money, not accounting tricks. Big institutional funds and options desks are actively positioning on the bullish side. With Fundamental Cash Engine at 15/20 and Institutional Whale Flow at 18/20, sustained execution supports upside toward the upper end of the $243.15 – $309.27 52-week range.
🐻 Primary Bear Case & Valuation Risk: Priced at 41x earnings—high expectations leave less room for a lukewarm quarter. Investors must weigh 40.6x trailing P/E and 24.8x EV/EBITDA against 17.0% operating margins and a 0.92x macro beta.

4. 2nd-Order Butterfly Ripples & Key Questions to Watch

Operating in Package Goods/Cosmetics (Consumer Discretionary), ECL carries a macro regime beta of 0.92 and gross margin of 44.5%.

Key Question #1: Can ECL sustain or expand its 17.0% operating margin and 14.1% ROIC against Package Goods/Cosmetics peers over the next 4 quarters?
Key Question #2: Following FY2025 revenue of $16.08B and free cash flow of $1.90B, how will capital allocation balance growth reinvestment against $6.70B in total debt?
Key Question #3: How sensitive is ECL's 37.8x forward P/E multiple to Consumer Discretionary capital spending cycles and macro interest-rate shifts (Beta 0.92x)?

ECL Live News Feed, Press Releases & Catalyst Wire

Real-time company headlines, analyst actions, and sector developments for Ecolab Inc. (ECL) • Click "Debate This Headline" to argue it in the Roar Pit below

💬 Jump to ECL Debate Forum (3) ↓

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo! Finance Canada • 23h ago

Ecolab Inc. (ECL) Stock Price, News, Quote & History

Yahoo! Finance Canada report covering Ecolab Inc. (ECL) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE ChartMill • 1d ago

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) Eyes Breakout With Strong Technical Setup

ChartMill report covering Ecolab Inc. (ECL) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Barchart.com • 1d ago

What to Expect From Ecolab's Next Quarterly Earnings Report

Barchart.com report covering Ecolab Inc. (ECL) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST Seeking Alpha • 1d ago

Ecolab: I Don't Believe AI Growth Alone Can Sustain This Valuation

Seeking Alpha report covering Ecolab Inc. (ECL) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

Ecolab Gears Up to Report Q3 Results: How to Play the Stock?

Yahoo Finance report covering Ecolab Inc. (ECL) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE MarketBeat • 1d ago

Ecolab (ECL) Stock Forecast and Price Target 2026 $ECL

MarketBeat report covering Ecolab Inc. (ECL) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

Ecolab (ECL) Earnings Expected to Grow: What to Know Ahead of Next Week's Release

Yahoo Finance report covering Ecolab Inc. (ECL) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

Ecolab (ECL) Q3 Earnings Meet Estimates

Yahoo Finance report covering Ecolab Inc. (ECL) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

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🔥 THE ROAR PIT • LIVE COMMUNITY DEBATE 3 Active Posts & Replies

ECL Bull vs. Bear Conversation Board — What's Your Call at $308.38?

🐂 67% BULLISH CONVICTION COMMUNITY TUG-OF-WAR ON ECL 🐻 33% BEARISH CONVICTION

MI MidwestValue RQD DEBATE OPENER • Fundamental Long-Only 🐂 BULLISH 🎯 Target: $372.67 (+23.0%)

📌 Pinned Debate

A 71 RQD score with a 17/20 whale-flow pillar and a 16/20 forensic balance sheet (Altman Z 5.16) shows institutional demand and financi

The street is overcomplicating Ecolab Inc. (ECL). A 71 RQD score with a 17/20 whale-flow pillar and a 16/20 forensic balance sheet (Altman Z 5.16) shows institutional demand and financial strength aligned.. With an RQD score of 72/100 (B) and Forensic Balance Sheet at 16/20, any positive earnings surprise or guidance raise forces underweight funds to chase above $327.22.

CapAlloc_Nerd 🐂 BULL

@FadeTheHype Fair point on 40.6x trailing P/E, but you're ignoring the forward operating leverage in Package Goods/Cosmetics. If gross margin (44.5%) holds, EPS grows into the multiple faster than bears think.

FA FadeTheHype RQD DEBATE OPENER • Contrarian Tape Reader 🐻 BEARISH 🎯 Target: $233.29 (-23.0%)

Spot @ $302.98

A 40.6 trailing P/E and 2.26% FCF yield leave little valuation cushion if growth expectations, including the AI-growth thesis, fail to

I respect the product at Ecolab Inc., but the stock at $302.98 is a different story. A 40.6 trailing P/E and 2.26% FCF yield leave little valuation cushion if growth expectations, including the AI-growth thesis, fail to materialize.. FCF yield is 2.26% and RQD sits at 72/100 (B) — why pay up here when you can wait for next quarter's numbers?