Ecolab Touches New High After Upbeat Quarterly Results, Outlook

(RTTNews) - Shares of Ecolab Inc. (ECL), a provider of water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services, are rising more than 6 percent Tuesday morning after the company reported upbeat fourth-quarter results, above analysts' view. The company's first-quarter earnings outlook also came in better than the Street estimates.

Profit for the fourth quarter significantly increased to $405.2 million, or $1.41 per share from $264.4 million, or $0.93 per share a year ago, primarily helped by growth in revenue.

Excluding items, Ecolab reported earnings of $444.7 million or $1.55 per share, that beat the average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson-Reuters of $1.54 per share.

Revenue for the quarter rose 7.4 percent to $3.94 billion from $3.67 billion last year. The consensus estimate was for $3.93 billion.

For the first quarter, the company expects adjusted earnings in a range of $1.27 to $1.37 per share. This compares with the analysts' view of $1.12 per share.

For the full year, earnings are expected in a range of $6.10 to $6.50 per share. The Street view stands at $6.14 per share.

ECL, currently at $217.70, touched a new high of $218.48 this morning.