Ecolab earnings
The next results are expected on October 27, 2026. Watch whether pricing holds without weakening customer volumes.
What has Ecolab guided for the year?
Ecolab’s treatment and cleaning programs help customers manage water, energy and equipment. An energy surcharge passes higher commodity costs back to those customers. Management expects total pricing of 5.0%–6.0% from July through December 2026. The increase works only if customers believe Ecolab saves them more than the higher bill costs. A customer may accept a 5% increase if the service cuts water, energy, labour or equipment costs by more than 5%, but volume must be watched because customers can buy less or switch suppliers.
For the full year, management guides to adjusted diluted earnings per share of $8.05–$8.25, up 7.0%–10.0%. Adjusted EPS removes selected special gains, charges and tax items, but this forecast still includes CoolIT’s financing costs and noncash amortization. Amortization records the value of acquired intangible assets over time; financing costs are interest payments on the borrowing used for the acquisition. Management separately expects special charges of $0.75–$0.80 per share.
| Period guided | Low | High | Date given | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| full year 2026 adjusted diluted earnings per share | Year to Dec 2026 | 8.05 | 8.25 | Jul 28, 2026 |
| full year 2026 adjusted diluted earnings per share growth | Year to Dec 2026 | 7.0% | 10.0% | Jul 28, 2026 |
| total pricing | 6 months to Dec 2026 | 5.0% | 6.0% | Jul 28, 2026 |
| Organic sales growth | 6 months to Dec 2026 | 6.0% | 7.0% | Jul 28, 2026 |
| adjusted operating income margin | 6 months to Dec 2026 | 19.0% | 19.0% | Jul 28, 2026 |
Did Ecolab keep its past promise?
Management forecast adjusted EPS between US$7.42 and US$7.62 for 2025. It delivered US$7.53. The public promise was therefore met. But the internal incentive target was US$7.27, and the payout on that measure was 137%. Both statements can be true because the forecast and the bonus hurdle were different.
How have Ecolab's revenue and profit changed?
The latest quarter showed faster underlying growth, but profit and cash conversion lagged sales.
| Jun 2026 | Mar 2026 | Dec 2025 | Sep 2025 | Jun 2025 | Mar 2025 | Dec 2024 | Sep 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 4,415.4 | 4,066.1 | 4,196.0 | 4,165.0 | 4,025.2 | 3,695.0 | 4,005.2 | 3,998.5 |
| Gross margin | 44.1% | 43.6% | 44.0% | 44.8% | 44.8% | 44.2% | 43.3% | 43.4% |
| Operating income | 757.9 | 622.0 | 712.0 | 760.2 | 710.1 | 555.3 | 582.8 | 1,044.8 |
| Net income | 534.9 | 432.6 | 563.9 | 585.0 | 524.2 | 402.5 | 472.9 | 736.5 |
| EPS, diluted | 1.90 | 1.52 | 1.98 | 2.05 | 1.84 | 1.41 | 1.66 | 2.58 |
What this means. Net income includes a one-time gain from selling the surgical business, so it can look higher than the profit the company normally earns.
What should you watch in Ecolab's next results?
On October 27, 2026, Ecolab’s third-quarter results should test the adjusted EPS promise of $2.13–$2.23 and provide a fuller quarter of CoolIT ownership. Investors should compare pricing with customer volumes, then examine margins and cash collection. Higher revenue from a larger invoice is less useful if customers are quietly buying less.