NYSE$ECL
Ecolab Inc · Q3 2021 earnings
Q3 2021 earnings · · Investor relations
Briefing
Ecolab's third quarter results reflected strong sales and double-digit earnings growth driven by market reopenings, new business wins, new products, and accelerated pricing.
Ecolab reported strong third-quarter results, with sales from continuing operations up 10% versus last year and adjusted diluted EPS from continuing operations up 20%. The company leveraged market reopenings with new business wins, new products, and accelerated pricing to deliver strong sales and double-digit earnings growth.
- Strong third quarter results leveraged market reopenings with new business wins, new products and accelerated pricing to deliver strong sales and double-digit earnings growth.
- Reported sales from continuing operations +10% versus last year.
- Acquisition adjusted fixed currency operating margin +80 bps led by the Institutional & Specialty segment.
- Cash flow from operating activities remained strong in the quarter at $623 million; free cash flow was $445 million, +$104 million (+31%) versus last year.
Headline financials
Revenue & EPS history
Ecolab · Revenue · Quarterly
$3.32B
Revenue by segment
Ecolab · $1.39B total across 2 segments · Q3 2021
- Global Institutional & Specialty$1.07B+19.4%76.8%
- Global Pest Elimination$324M+14.3%23.2%
Forward guidance
Ecolab expects continued year-on-year growth in the fourth quarter 2021 led by increased volume and price momentum. However, substantial additional delivered product and other cost inflation will increase fourth quarter costs nearly $0.20 per share. Ecolab expects fourth quarter earnings to grow double digits, though not as strongly as the third quarter.
Tailwinds
- Expect continued, if uneven, recovery in the U.S. and European markets, with the rest of the world following.
- Expect strong year-on-year growth in the fourth quarter 2021 led by increased volume and price momentum.
- Expect these drivers to result in the fourth quarter showing better year-over-year sales growth than the third quarter.
- Accelerated pricing and expect to more than cover the substantial delivered product cost and other cost increases.
- Strong business momentum, along with enhanced value proposition and favorable macro trends, positions Ecolab well to leverage the global recovery post-COVID and long-term fundamentals remain strong to deliver further superior shareholder returns.
Headwinds
- Experienced substantial additional delivered product and other cost inflation.
- Believe this will increase fourth quarter costs nearly $0.20 per share.
- Expect fourth quarter earnings to grow double digits, though not as strongly as the third quarter.
- Continue to expect the full year 2021 to show a strong earnings increase over 2020, more than offsetting the substantial delivered product and other cost increases which we estimate will reach a combined unfavorable impact approximating $0.90 per share this year.
- We expect continued, if uneven, recovery in the U.S. and European markets, with the rest of the world following.
Historical earnings impact
How earnings announcements have historically affected this stock's price.
Avg. return before/after earnings
Based on 20 quarterly earnings reports · overlaid with Q3 2021
+0.1%
Avg return
Earnings day
-0.0%
Avg return
5 days after
+1.3%
Avg return
30 days after
58%
42 / 73 earnings
Positive
+10.9%
Q4 2022
Best reaction
-12.6%
Q3 2022
Worst reaction
| Quarter | Report date | Reaction (Day 0) | +5 days | +30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 2026 | +0.8% | -3.1% | -3.1% | |
| Q4 2025 | +4.0% | +3.8% | -4.3% | |
| Q3 2025 | -4.1% | -8.3% | -1.7% | |
| Q2 2025 | +0.4% | +2.9% | +1.8% | |
| Q1 2025 | +3.3% | +6.8% | +10.6% | |
| Q4 2024 | +6.2% | +7.6% | +2.1% | |
| Q3 2024 | -1.5% | -4.6% | -3.4% | |
| Q2 2024 | -6.9% | -4.3% | +0.9% | |
| Q1 2024 | +1.5% | +2.6% | +3.2% | |
| Q4 2023 | +6.9% | +1.7% | -1.4% | |
| Q3 2023 | +5.1% | +9.8% | +20.5% | |
| Q2 2023 | +1.0% | -0.3% | +0.4% | |
| Q1 2023 | +2.7% | +2.9% | +0.2% | |
| Q4 2022 | +10.9% | +9.8% | +7.4% | |
| Q3 2022 | -12.6% | -14.2% | -3.3% | |
| Q2 2022 | -1.3% | +1.5% | +5.0% | |
| Q1 2022 | -2.9% | -3.6% | -6.5% | |
| Q4 2021 | -0.1% | -2.3% | -6.1% | |
| Q3 2021 | -0.2% | +0.3% | +4.4% | |
| Q2 2021 | -0.0% | +0.8% | +1.8% | |
| Q1 2021 | -2.1% | -1.2% | -4.7% | |
| Q4 2020 | -5.0% | -5.4% | -4.7% | |
| Q3 2020 | -6.5% | -7.4% | +10.0% | |
| Q2 2020 | -8.1% | -11.8% | -6.8% | |
| Q1 2020 | +5.4% | +1.3% | +12.7% | |
| Q4 2019 | +1.4% | +0.1% | -23.0% | |
| Q3 2019 | +1.1% | -0.3% | -2.4% | |
| Q2 2019 | +0.6% | -0.3% | +3.2% | |
| Q1 2019 | -1.1% | +0.3% | -0.6% | |
| Q4 2018 | +1.1% | +2.2% | +7.5% | |
| Q3 2018 | +4.5% | +5.5% | +8.1% | |
| Q2 2018 | +2.8% | +4.5% | +6.7% | |
| Q1 2018 | -0.4% | +0.4% | -1.5% | |
| Q4 2017 | -1.2% | -0.5% | +2.0% | |
| Q3 2017 | +0.3% | +0.4% | +3.8% | |
| Q2 2017 | +0.9% | +0.9% | +1.2% | |
| Q1 2017 | -2.8% | -2.2% | +3.5% | |
| Q4 2016 | -0.7% | +1.3% | +0.2% | |
| Q3 2016 | -1.9% | -3.1% | +3.8% | |
| Q2 2016 | +2.3% | +3.4% | +3.7% | |
| Q1 2016 | +0.9% | — | — | |
| Q4 2015 | -5.5% | — | — | |
| Q3 2015 | -0.3% | — | — | |
| Q2 2015 | +6.4% | — | — | |
| Q1 2015 | -1.4% | — | — | |
| Q4 2014 | +3.8% | — | — | |
| Q3 2014 | -2.2% | — | — | |
| Q2 2014 | -1.5% | — | — | |
| Q1 2014 | -0.9% | — | — | |
| Q4 2013 | +0.5% | — | — | |
| Q3 2013 | +3.0% | — | — | |
| Q2 2013 | +0.0% | — | — | |
| Q1 2013 | +1.2% | — | — | |
| Q4 2012 | +6.2% | — | — | |
| Q3 2012 | +0.1% | — | — | |
| Q2 2012 | -3.6% | — | — | |
| Q1 2012 | +1.0% | — | — | |
| Q4 2011 | -4.2% | — | — | |
| Q3 2011 | -4.6% | — | — | |
| Q2 2011 | -3.5% | — | — | |
| Q1 2011 | +2.5% | — | — | |
| Q4 2010 | +2.4% | — | — | |
| Q3 2010 | +0.3% | — | — | |
| Q2 2010 | -0.7% | — | — | |
| Q1 2009 | -1.7% | — | — | |
| Q1 2010 | +1.2% | — | — | |
| Q4 2007 | +0.5% | — | — | |
| Q4 2009 | +0.5% | — | — | |
| Q3 2009 | +2.2% | — | — | |
| Q3 2008 | +2.2% | — | — | |
| Q2 2009 | +0.0% | — | — | |
| Q2 2008 | +0.0% | — | — | |
| Q4 2008 | +0.0% | — | — |
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