Stock Analysis
Data Source: SEC EDGAR 13F
Updated Hourly

Ecolab Inc (ECL)

2K + Investors. Track Smart Money conviction in ECL. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Current Price
-- USD
Analyst Target
-- (0 analysts)
Upside
0.00%
Net Flow Q/Q
↑ +33
Streak
2Q ▲
Buyers last Q
51%

Smart Money Signals — ECL

Based on 1687 hedge funds · latest filing: 2026 Q1 · updated quarterly

📈

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row

last 6Q
For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added ECL than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.
🏔️

At the ownership peak (100% of max)

100% of all-time peak
1,687 hedge funds hold ECL right now — the highest count in 3.0 years. When ownership is this concentrated, any bad news can trigger a chain reaction: one big fund sells, others follow. This is a classic 'crowded trade' — high popularity doesn't equal safety.
📶

Steady growth — +7% more funds vs a year ago

fund count last 6Q
+111 new funds entered over the past year (+7% YoY). Gradual, steady growth in institutional ownership is generally a healthy signal — not a speculative rush, but consistent conviction.
🟡

Slight buying edge — 51% buying

802 buying768 selling
Last quarter: 802 funds bought or added vs 768 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.
⚠️

Fewer new buyers each quarter (-27 vs last Q)

new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening this position for the first time: 148 → 130 → 192 → 165. Each quarter fewer new institutions are entering. This usually means most funds that wanted in are already in — the stock is well-known but the pool of potential new buyers is shrinking.
🔒

69% of holders stayed for 2+ years

■ 69% conviction (2yr+) ■ 17% medium ■ 14% new
1,158 out of 1,687 hedge funds have held ECL for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.
📈

Growing discovery — still being found

166 → 148 → 130 → 192 → 165 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 148 → 130 → 192 → 165. A growing number of institutions are discovering ECL each quarter. The narrative is still spreading — leaving room for ongoing capital accumulation.
🏛️

Veteran-anchored — 71% veterans vs 18% newcomers

■ 71% veterans ■ 12% 1-2yr ■ 18% new
Entry-cohort mix of 1,714 holders: 1,214 (71%) are 2+ year veterans, 198 entered 1–2 years ago, and 302 (18%) joined within the past year. A veteran-weighted cap table skews toward institutional memory over fresh momentum.
🏆

Elite ownership — 42% AUM from top-100 funds

42% from top-100 AUM funds
68 of 1682 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 42% of total institutional value in ECL. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.
3.4
out of 10
Low Exit Risk
Exit risk score 3.4/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.

Methodology note: these Smart Money cards use consecutive 13F disclosure snapshots, not trade-by-trade execution data. "Buying", "selling", "new holders", and "trimmed" refer to quarter-over-quarter changes in reported holders, aggregate shares, or disclosed position values between filings. They are useful for ownership regime analysis and crowding, but they do not imply exact trade timing on the filing date.

Institutional Sentiment Summary — ECL

In 2026 Q1, 802 hedge funds were net buyers of ECL (165 opened a new position, 637 added to an existing one), while 768 reduced or exited (636 trimmed, 132 sold completely) — a 51% buyer ratio, indicating a slight buying edge. Net buying has persisted for two consecutive quarters, a positive momentum signal. 42% of total institutional value in ECL is held by top-100 AUM funds, reflecting elite-tier ownership quality. Net fund flow last quarter: +33 funds (more new holders than closures). Total institutional holders: 1687.

Hedge Fund Ownership: ECL

How many hedge funds hold ECL — quarterly history vs. share price
Quarterly hedge fund ownership of ECL vs. share price

Market Analysis: ECL

Analyst Price Targets

Avg. Price Target
--

Analyst Recommendations

Stock Performance

Real-time

Company Profile: ECL

-- --

Institutional ownership data sourced from SEC EDGAR Form 13F-HR filings.

Is It Too Late to Buy Ecolab Inc (ECL) Based on Hedge Fund 13F Filings?

Signal Freshness measures how much ECL has moved relative to its sector benchmark (SPY) since the 2026 Q1 13F filing. A stock that has barely outrun its sector is still a relatively fresh entry point — the fund's thesis has not yet been priced in by the broader market.

Since Quarter End March 31, 2026 · 77d ago
ECL
nan%
SPY
+15.9%

ECL outperformed SPY by nan% since March 31, 2026.

Since 13F Filing Date May 15, 2026 · 32d ago
ECL
nan%
SPY
+2.0%

Since the filing became public, ECL outperformed SPY by nan% .

Interpretation: The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference. Learn more →

Smart Money Signal ?
Broad Consensus, Selective Conviction

Many quality funds hold this stock, but top-tier positions remain relatively small.

77 top-rated funds 18 high-conviction
Consensus
8.2
/ 10
breadth
×
Elite
4.0
/ 10
conviction
Hedge Fund Positioning: ECL
2K + Investors

Track Smart Money conviction in ECL. See who's accumulating, reducing, or initiating positions.

Metric All 13F Filers (2026 Q1) Prior (2025 Q4) Change
Funds Holding 1674 1653 1.27%
13F Shares 210M 231M -8.97%
Total Value $54.55B $59.26B -7.95%
New Positions 161 192 -31
Increased Positions 628 571 +57
Closed Positions 140 131 +9
Reduced Positions 625 632 -7
Total Calls 16 12 33.33%
Total Puts 16 15 6.67%
PUT/CALL Ratio 1.0 1.25 Neutral

Statistics: ECL

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Valuation Measures Data as of: --

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Enterprise Value/EBITDA --
Beta (5Y Monthly) --
Short Ratio (Days to Cover) --
Short % of Float --

Financial Highlights

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Total Cash (mrq) --
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Institutional Holders (2026 Q1)

2K + investors

Explore institutional interest and hedge fund ownership dynamics. Analyze portfolio weights, new positions, and conviction trends in ECL. Verified SEC 13F-HR filings.

QUARTER:
Top 25 ECL holders by conviction (% of portfolio weight) — 2026 Q1 · Source: SEC Form 13F
# Investor % of Portfolio Shares Mkt Value
1 Wormser Freres Gestion 5.70% 29,026 $7.9M
2 Ecofi Investissements SA 5.64% 11,650 $3.1M
3 Mcdonald Capital Investors Inc/Ca 5.32% 292,116 $77.7M
4 Foresight Group Ltd Liability Partnership 4.67% 99,448 $26.5M
5 Dudley & Shanley, INC. 4.57% 105,008 $27.9M
6 Gates Foundation Trust 4.38% 5,218,044 $1.39B
7 McCollum Christoferson Group LLC 3.81% 114,044 $12.7M
8 Mcdaniel Terry & Co 3.71% 164,253 $43.7M
9 Mirova US LLC 3.53% 1,169,995 $311.2M
10 Firetrail Investments Pty Ltd 3.53% 38,842 $10.3M
11 Birch Hill Investment Advisors LLC 3.46% 289,612 $77.0M
12 Rothschild Capital Partners, LLC 3.34% 51,152 $13.6M
13 Tribune Investment Group LP 3.12% 30,630 $8.1M
14 Capital Investment Services of America, Inc. 3.10% 111,424 $29.6M
15 Ayrshire Capital Management LLC 2.98% 21,685 $5.8M
16 Kampmann Melissa S. 2.85% 13,354 $3.6M
17 M. Kraus & Co 2.85% 36,735 $9.8M
18 Peninsula Asset Management Inc 2.68% 19,699 $5.2M
19 Df Dent & Co Inc 2.64% 518,622 $138.0M
20 Avity Investment Management INC. 2.62% 135,409 $36.0M
21 Waycross Partners, LLC 2.59% 101,890 $27.1M
22 Osprey Private Wealth LLC 2.56% 33,242 $8.8M
23 Van Strum & Towne INC. 2.53% 32,569 $8.7M
24 Noesis Capital Mangement Corp 2.49% 63,340 $16.8M
25 LS Investment Advisors, LLC 2.48% 62,387 $16.6M
Investor Ownership
History 		% of Portfolio Prev % Rank Conviction Avg Buy Price 13F Score™ 3Y / 7Y Sell Timing Shares Mkt Value Change Change % Source Quarter Filed

Frequently Asked Questions — Ecolab Inc (ECL)

What does the Smart Money Trend signal show for ECL?

Buying streak — 2 quarters in a row: For 2 consecutive quarters, more hedge funds added ECL than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.

What is the institutional breadth score for ECL?

Slight buying edge — 51% buying: Last quarter: 802 funds bought or added vs 768 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.

What is the fund quality score for ECL holders?

Elite ownership — 42% AUM from top-100 funds: 68 of 1682 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 42% of total institutional value in ECL. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.

How long have hedge funds held ECL?

69% of holders stayed for 2+ years: 1,158 out of 1,687 hedge funds have held ECL for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.

Is it too late to buy Ecolab Inc (ECL) following the 2026 Q1 hedge fund 13F filings?

As of today, ECL has moved nan% since the 2026 Q1 13F filing date (May 15, 2026), compared to +2.0% for the SPY sector ETF — an outperformance of nan%. Since the quarter end (March 31, 2026), ECL has gained nan% vs +15.9% for SPY. The stock is tracking its sector benchmark closely. The signal remains fresh and the entry point is still near the fund's implied reference.

Where does this institutional ownership data come from?

All holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings, which institutional investment managers with over $100 million in assets are required to submit quarterly. Data is parsed directly from SEC EDGAR.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security. Institutional holdings data is sourced from SEC Form 13F filings and reflects positions as of the filing date. Past performance of any fund or portfolio is not indicative of future results. 13Foresight is not a registered investment adviser. Always conduct your own due diligence before making investment decisions.

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