Ecolab (ECL) Reports Q3 Earnings: What Key Metrics Have to Say
For the quarter ended September 2023, Ecolab (ECL) reported revenue of $3.96 billion, up 7.9% over the same period last year. EPS came in at $1.54, compared to $1.30 in the year-ago quarter.
The reported revenue represents a surprise of -0.74% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.99 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $1.52, the EPS surprise was +1.32%.
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.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.
Here is how Ecolab performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Sales- Global Industrial (Fixed currency): $1.83 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $1.88 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +0.6%.
Sales- Corporate (Fixed currency): $15 million versus $20.94 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -46% change.
Sales- Global Healthcare and Life Sciences (Fixed currency): $400.70 million compared to the $377.52 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +6.7% year over year.
Sales- Global Institutional & Specialty (Fixed currency): $1.31 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $1.29 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +10.6%.
Sales- Other (Fixed currency): $380.30 million compared to the $377.85 million average estimate based on four analysts. The reported number represents a change of +5% year over year.
Sales- Global Institutional & Specialty (Public Currency rates): $1.31 billion compared to the $1.28 billion average estimate based on three analysts.
Sales- Global Industrial (Public Currency rates): $1.84 billion versus $1.89 billion estimated by three analysts on average.
Sales- Other (Public Currency rates): $382.10 million versus $379.35 million estimated by three analysts on average.
Sales- Global Healthcare & Life Sciences (Public Currency rates): $406.20 million compared to the $394.85 million average estimate based on two analysts.
Operating Income- Corporate (Fixed currency): -$92.20 million compared to the -$38.37 million average estimate based on four analysts.
Operating Income- Global Industrial (Fixed currency): $287.50 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $299.99 million.
Operating Income- Global Institutional & Specialty (Fixed currency): $249.90 million compared to the $230.98 million average estimate based on four analysts.
View all Key Company Metrics for Ecolab here>>>
Shares of Ecolab have returned -4.6% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -2.8% 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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Ecolab Inc. (ECL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
