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Ecolab Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 28 July 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 7 new, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Reported sales rose 10%: Reported net sales were $4,415.4 million, up 10%. Organic sales rose 5% to $4,282.1 million, against $4,090.0 million a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 11%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.09, up 11% from $1.89. Reported diluted EPS was $1.90, up 3% from $1.84. Currency translation added $0.04 per share to adjusted EPS. Source
  • Global High-Tech grew 29%: Global High-Tech organic sales grew 29%, across microelectronics and data centers. The platform is approaching $1.5 billion in annualized sales. Source
  • CoolIT acquisition closed: The CoolIT acquisition has closed. CoolIT pre-acquisition sales rose more than 100% in the first half, according to management. Source
  • Adjusted gross margin down 60 bps: Adjusted gross margin was 44.2%, down 60 bps on the Ovivo Electronics acquisition. Excluding that effect, organic gross margin was 44.9%, which management described as stable. Source
  • Pricing rose to 4%: Pricing improved to 4%, reflecting early benefits of the energy surcharge, which was implemented globally during the quarter. Source

“We delivered another quarter of double-digit EPS growth, driven by strong execution across the company which produced accelerating organic sales growth, a stable organic gross margin excluding the impact from Ovivo Electronics, and strong productivity.”

Christophe Beck, Ecolab’s chairman, president and chief executive officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted diluted EPS, full year 2026 Sourcefull year 2026$8.05 to $8.25Raised from $8.03 to $8.23
Adjusted diluted EPS, third quarter 2026 Sourcethird quarter 2026$2.13 to $2.23New
Reported sales growth Sourcesecond half of 202612% to 14%New
Organic sales growth Sourcesecond half of 20266% to 7%Kept
Adjusted operating income margin Sourcesecond half of 2026approximately 19%New
Organic operating income margin Sourcesecond half of 2026approximately 20%New
Quantifiable special charges per share Sourcefull year 2026$0.75 to $0.80 per shareRaised from $0.60 to $0.65 per share
Quantifiable special charges per share Sourcethird quarter 2026approximately $0.28 per shareNew
Total pricing Sourcesecond half of 20265% to 6%New
Global High-Tech sales and operating margin Source2030$4 billion in sales; operating income margin of 25%New
Long-term organic sales growth Sourcelong term5% to 7%

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 adjusted diluted EPS range raised to $8.05 to $8.25, against prior expectations of $8.03 to $8.23 as the release states. Source
  • Guidance raised: Expected 2026 special charges raised to $0.75 to $0.80 per share from $0.60 to $0.65 in the April release. Source
  • New guidance: Third-quarter 2026 adjusted diluted EPS range of $2.13 to $2.23 given for the first time. Source
  • New guidance: Second-half 2026 reported sales growth of 12% to 14% given for the first time. Source
  • New guidance: Third-quarter 2026 special charges of about $0.28 per share given for the first time. Source
  • Guidance kept: Second-half organic sales growth range of 6% to 7% is the same as in the April release. Source
  • Ended: The April second-quarter adjusted EPS range of $2.02 to $2.12 is replaced by the reported result of $2.09. Source
  • New: The CoolIT acquisition, described as pending in the April release, has now closed. Source
  • New: A new long-term target for Global High-Tech of $4 billion in sales by 2030 is stated. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Reported sales rose 10%: Reported net sales were $4,415.4 million, up 10%. Organic sales rose 5% to $4,282.1 million, against $4,090.0 million a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EPS rose 11%: Adjusted diluted EPS was $2.09, up 11% from $1.89. Reported diluted EPS was $1.90, up 3% from $1.84. Currency translation added $0.04 per share to adjusted EPS. Source
  • Operating margins reported and organic: Reported operating income rose 7% to $757.9 million, including special charges. Adjusted operating income rose 10% to $809.0 million. Organic operating margin was 18.8%, up 40 bps. Source
  • Interest and tax rate rose: Net interest expense rose $10 million to $73.1 million, reflecting lower cash balances and new debt. The reported tax rate was 22.3%, against 19.9%. The adjusted rate was 21.0%, against 20.8%. Source

Segments and regions

  • Global Water sales rose 10%: Global Water fixed-currency sales rose 10% to $2,215.5 million. Organic sales rose 4%, with Global High-Tech as the lead contributor to that growth. Source
  • Water operating income up 1%: Global Water organic operating income rose 1% in the transition quarter, as pricing progressively offset growth-oriented investments and higher commodity costs. Source
  • Institutional and Specialty sales up 4%: Fixed-currency and organic sales both rose 4% to $1,617.4 million. Organic operating income rose 6%. Specialty sales grew mid-single digits on share gains across quick service and food retail. Source
  • Pest Elimination operating income up 12%: Fixed-currency sales rose 9% to $350.5 million, with 7% organic growth and 2% from acquisitions. Organic operating income rose 12%, after growth-oriented investments including pest intelligence. Source
  • Life Sciences sales up 15%: Fixed-currency and organic sales rose 15% to $221.0 million. Organic operating income rose 46% to $58.5 million, with a spike in bioprocessing cited. Source

“As we indicated last quarter, the second quarter was a transition period.”

Christophe Beck, Ecolab’s chairman, president and chief executive officer

Growth engines and acquisitions

  • Global High-Tech grew 29%: Global High-Tech organic sales grew 29%, across microelectronics and data centers. The platform is approaching $1.5 billion in annualized sales. Source
  • CoolIT acquisition closed: The CoolIT acquisition has closed. CoolIT pre-acquisition sales rose more than 100% in the first half, according to management. Source
  • Ovivo Electronics performing well: Management said Ovivo Electronics is performing very well. The acquisition added a 6% benefit to Global Water fixed-currency sales growth. Source
  • Ecolab Digital sales up 27%: Digital sales grew 27% to $121 million, with growth in both enabling hardware subscriptions and software. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Adjusted gross margin down 60 bps: Adjusted gross margin was 44.2%, down 60 bps on the Ovivo Electronics acquisition. Excluding that effect, organic gross margin was 44.9%, which management described as stable. Source
  • Pricing rose to 4%: Pricing improved to 4%, reflecting early benefits of the energy surcharge, which was implemented globally during the quarter. Source
  • Pricing offset commodity and investment costs: Management said accelerating pricing more than offset higher commodity costs and growth-oriented investments in adjusted operating income. Source

Demand and customer disruption

  • Middle East disruption to customers: Customer operations disrupted by the Middle East conflict cut reported volume by nearly 1%. Management described the operating environment as complex. Source
  • Core business growth improved: Management said core business growth improved, with Food & Beverage, Institutional and Light Water accelerating during the quarter. Source
  • Heavy Water and Paper headwind eased: The softer sales in Heavy Water and Paper eased further, driven by new business wins, according to management. Source

Cash, debt and share repurchases

  • Repurchased about 1.2 million shares: Ecolab repurchased about 1.2 million shares in the second quarter. The first-quarter repurchase was about 1.3 million shares. Source
  • Cash rose to $5.1 billion: Cash and cash equivalents were $5,135.3 million at June 30, up from $646.2 million at December 31, 2025. Source
  • Debt rose with acquisition funding: Short-term debt was $1,271.1 million and long-term debt $11,905.1 million at June 30, against $870.4 million and $7,365.9 million at December 31. Source

Strategy and growth engines

  • Continued momentum expected: Management said it expects continued momentum from growth engines, ongoing One Ecolab share gains, accelerating pricing and productivity. Source
  • Named growth engines: The growth engines named are Global High-Tech, Life Sciences, Pest Elimination and Ecolab Digital. Management expects them to strengthen overall performance. Source
  • Durability of growth model: The CEO said the quarter demonstrates the durability of the growth model and the team's ability to deliver for customers. Source

Special charges and amortization

  • Corporate special charges of $51 million: Corporate special gains and charges were a net $51 million, mainly One Ecolab and acquisition and integration costs. Special items reduced diluted EPS by $0.18. Source
  • Intangible amortization by acquisition: Corporate included intangible amortization of $28 million for Nalco, $21 million for Purolite and $10 million for Ovivo Electronics. Source
  • CoolIT costs in the EPS range: Management said the EPS range includes a short-term impact from non-cash amortization and financing costs of the CoolIT acquisition. Source

Coming up, as management said on 28 July 2026

  • Pricing to accelerate in second half: Management expects pricing to accelerate in the second half as the full benefit of the energy surcharge comes through. Source
  • Third-quarter organic operating income to improve: Management expects organic operating income growth to improve in the third quarter, in Global Water and Institutional & Specialty, on pricing and new business wins. Source
  • Positioned to offset commodity costs: Management said it is positioned to offset higher commodity costs in the second half, with pricing in the range given under guidance. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Reported volume growth Source1%
Ecolab Digital sales Source$121 million, up 27%
Global High-Tech annualized sales Sourceapproaching $1.5 billion

Risks management discussed

  • External: Customer disruption from the Middle East conflict and rising commodity costs, alongside geopolitics and trade policy, are described as making the environment complex. Source
  • Operational: Management said the quarter began with higher commodity costs and little benefit from the energy surcharge. Source
  • Financial: Net interest expense rose on lower cash balances and new debt used to fund recent acquisitions. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said the second quarter was a transition period, as it had indicated in the prior release. Source
  • Ahead: The April release expected gross margin to stabilize in the second half. Management said organic gross margin stabilized within one quarter. Source
  • Not stated: The April release expected the CoolIT close in the third quarter. The July release describes the close as recent, without a status against that expectation.

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.