10 analysts' median target is $330[FMP target], stock is $258, +28.0% upside potential. After Q1 +0.0% EPS beat[FMP earnings], the stock moved -3.9%.
B = MoonshotScore 44[9-pillar formula] + Council 4/6[6-lens rule]. Form 4: 0 transactions[FMP Form 4].
Q1 consensus: revenue $4.4B[FMP est], EPS $2.11[FMP est]. 0 consecutive quarters of beat[FMP earnings].
Q1 EPS +0.0% beat[FMP] but the stock -3.9% D+1[FMP D+1]. Scott Kirkland promised $332.1M CapEx + a sequential decline in Q1 during the Q1 earnings call[Scott Kirkland capex transcript].
Watchlist
Oi Margin Expansion
oi_margin_expansion
Ecolab expanded organic operating income margin by 70 basis points to 16.8%, driven by strong value pricing and improved SG&A productivity, and expects OI margin expansion to improve in the second half of the year.
"As a result, organic operating income margin expanded by 70 basis points to 16.8%. We expect OI margin expansion to improve in the second half of the year as pricing accelerates, and we remain very confident in delivering on our 20% OI margin target by '27."
- Christophe Beck - Q1 FY26 Earnings Call - April 28, 2026
Life Sciences Growth
life_sciences_growth
Ecolab's Life Sciences division grew 11%, led by bioprocessing where sales more than doubled, and expects operating income margins to expand toward its 30% target over the next few years.
"Life Sciences accelerated to 11% growth, led by bioprocessing where sales more than doubled. We expect Life Sciences growth to continue its double-digit momentum and operating income margins to expand toward our 30% target over the next few years."
- Christophe Beck - Q1 FY26 Earnings Call - April 28, 2026
Pest Elimination Growth
pest_elimination_growth
Ecolab's Pest Elimination delivered a strong quarter with 7% growth, reflecting strong share gains from our One Ecolab growth initiative and our new Pest Intelligence offering.
"Pest Elimination delivered a strong quarter with 7% growth, reflecting strong share gains from our One Ecolab growth initiative and naturally, our new Pest Intelligence offering."
- Christophe Beck - Q1 FY26 Earnings Call - April 28, 2026
High Tech Growth
high_tech_growth
Ecolab's Global High-Tech and digital segments grew more than 20%, driven by strong demand tied to digital adoption and the ongoing AI build-out.
"Global High-Tech and digital both grew more than 20%, driven by strong demand tied to digital adoption and the ongoing AI build-out."
- Christophe Beck - Q1 FY26 Earnings Call - April 28, 2026
Coolit Acquisition Impact
coolit_acquisition_impact
The acquisition of CoolIT is expected to accelerate Ecolab's earnings per share (EPS) growth back into the 12% to 15% range, after short-term impacts, as amortization from the Nalco acquisition rolls off.
"Beyond the short-term impact this year, we expect EPS growth, including CoolIT to accelerate back into the 12% to 15% range as contributions from this high-growth, high-margin acquisition accelerate and amortization from the Nalco acquisition rolls up."
- Christophe Beck - Q1 FY26 Earnings Call - April 28, 2026
Commodity Cost Impact
commodity_cost_impact
Ecolab is implementing an energy surcharge to offset rising commodity costs, aiming to fully offset the impact on second-quarter EPS growth.
"However, the magnitude of energy cost increases requires additional action to ensure reliable supply, which is why we quickly implemented an energy surcharge. This is an approach we've used successfully before, focused on delivering incremental total value for customers that exceeds the total price increase."
- Christophe Beck - Q1 FY26 Earnings Call - April 28, 2026
Stock Expert AI - Methodology
9-pillar methodology. Cash Runway and News Sentiment strong. Revenue Growth weak.
How is it calculated? ->6 investor frameworks. 4 bullish (Ray Dalio, Klarman, Buffett, Munger), 1 bearish (Ken Griffin), 1 neutral (Jim Simons).
How is it calculated? ->Quality business, discounted price.
How is it calculated? ->Past Performance
Q1 (April 28, 2026): EPS $1.70 vs $1.70 est[FMP], +0.0% beat. D+1 movement: -3.9%[FMP D+1]. Decline despite beat - market reacted to guidance, not numbers.
Q1: EPS $1.70 vs $1.70 beat[FMP], stock -3.9% D+1[FMP].
No RPO/backlog concentration disclosed in Q1 earnings call.
Q1 CapEx $332.1M[FMP cashflow]. Q1 op margin 15.3%[FMP op margin] - this level in Q1 is sensitive to CapEx revision risk.
Not advice - a structural framework for earnings night. Decision discipline is yours.
Market Outlook
You read it in 5 minutes. When the numbers come out on Tuesday evening - you know what you're looking at.
Data arrives at night. The framework is ready now.
Data arrives on Tuesday evening. The framework is ready on this page: Q1 EPS threshold $2.11[FMP], CapEx threshold "below $332.1M"[Scott Kirkland]. Two anchors, three scenarios.
Comparison Stock Expert AI Pro $24/month ($240/year), 77% cheaper than the total of three earnings-tracking tools ($1,059/year -> $240/year).
Seeking Alpha $299/yr - analyst opinions + earnings coverage TipRanks $360/yr - Smart Score (1-10) + analyst consensus + insider trades Trendspider $400/yr - AI pattern detection + automated TA + multi-timeframe alerts
Prices as of April 2026. Sources: seekingalpha.com/subscriptions - tipranks.com/pricing - trendspider.com/pricing
Stock Expert AI Pro: $24/month ($240/year). Council 7-lens analysis + MoonshotScore 9-pillar + Insider tracker + Technical levels - all in one platform, for every stock.
Educational tool, not investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Calendar
DATA GAP: Events not in the FMP /stable/calendar feed - Investor day, analyst day, product launches, regulatory dates. These require company IR page scraping or manual calendar entry.
This ECL (ECL) earnings preview covers the analyst consensus, key catalysts, and what to watch on the earnings call.
Consensus EPS, revenue guidance, segment growth rates, and the tone of management commentary — the full breakdown with sources is on this page.