Here's What Key Metrics Tell Us About Ecolab (ECL) Q1 Earnings

Ecolab (ECL) reported $3.57 billion in revenue for the quarter ended March 2023, representing a year-over-year increase of 9.3%. EPS of $0.88 for the same period compares to $0.82 a year ago.

The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.47 billion, representing a surprise of +2.92%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +2.33%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $0.86.

While investors scrutinize revenue and earnings changes year-over-year and how they compare with Wall Street expectations to determine their next move, some key metrics always offer a more accurate picture of a company's financial health.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

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 Healthcare and Life Sciences (Fixed currency): $378.60 million versus the four-analyst average estimate of $392.52 million. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +4.4%.

• Sales- Corporate (Fixed currency): $23.60 million versus $29.99 million estimated by four analysts on average.

• Sales- Global Industrial (Fixed currency): $1.70 billion versus $1.68 billion estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +8.5% change.

• Sales- Global Institutional & Specialty (Fixed currency): $1.13 billion versus the four-analyst average estimate of $1.10 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +11.9%.

• Sales- Other (Fixed currency): $329.30 million versus $323.89 million estimated by four analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +11.1% change.

• Sales- Global Industrial (Public Currency rates): $1.71 billion compared to the $1.65 billion average estimate based on three analysts.

• Sales- Global Institutional & Specialty (Public Currency rates): $1.13 billion compared to the $1.06 billion average estimate based on three analysts.

• Sales- Other (Public Currency rates): $330 million versus the three-analyst average estimate of $317.99 million.

• Operating Income- Corporate (Fixed currency): -$49.80 million versus -$83.43 million estimated by four analysts on average.

• Operating Income- Global Industrial (Fixed currency): $215.60 million compared to the $203.39 million average estimate based on four analysts.

• Operating Income- Global Institutional & Specialty (Fixed currency): $125.70 million compared to the $129.20 million average estimate based on four analysts.

• Operating Income- Other (Fixed currency): $50.10 million versus $46.04 million estimated by four analysts on average.

View all Key Company Metrics for Ecolab here>>>

Shares of Ecolab have returned +1.7% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.5% 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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