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Here's What Key Metrics Tell Us About Ecolab (ECL) Q1 Earnings

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Ecolab (ECL - Free Report) reported $4.07 billion in revenue for the quarter ended March 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 10%. EPS of $1.70 for the same period compares to $1.50 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.02 billion, representing a surprise of +1.05%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +0.06%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.70.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Ecolab performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
  • Net Sales- Fixed Currency Rates- Global Pest Elimination: $310.1 million versus $295.72 million estimated by three analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +11.5% change.
  • Net Sales- Fixed Currency Rates- Global Water: $2.04 billion versus the three-analyst average estimate of $1.97 billion.
  • Net Sales- Fixed Currency Rates- Global Life Sciences: $200.9 million compared to the $178.13 million average estimate based on three analysts.
  • Net Sales- Fixed Currency Rates- Global Institutional & Specialty: $1.51 billion compared to the $1.45 billion average estimate based on three analysts. The reported number represents a change of +7.2% year over year.
  • Net Sales- Public Currency Rates- Global Life Sciences: $200.9 million compared to the $183.6 million average estimate based on two analysts.
  • Net Sales- Public Currency Rates- Global Pest Elimination: $310.8 million versus $306.7 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +10.8% change.
  • Net Sales- Public Currency Rates- Global Institutional & Specialty: $1.51 billion compared to the $1.5 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of +6.6% year over year.
  • Net Sales- Public Currency Rates- Global Water: $2.04 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $2.05 billion.
  • Operating Income (loss)- Fixed Currency Rates- Global Life Sciences: $37.5 million versus $29.91 million estimated by three analysts on average.
  • Operating Income (loss)- Fixed Currency Rates- Global Pest Elimination: $51.7 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $57.18 million.
  • Operating Income (loss)- Fixed Currency Rates- Global Institutional & Specialty: $347.5 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $323.38 million.
  • Operating Income (loss)- Fixed Currency Rates- Corporate: $-114.8 million compared to the $-54.34 million average estimate based on three analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for Ecolab here>>>

Shares of Ecolab have returned +2.1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +12.8% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

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