9 Stocks in Bill Gates’ Portfolio That Analysts are Watching

6. Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL)

Share Price Return Between July 1 and November 7: -6.05%

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust’s Q2 Stake Value: $1.4 billion

Analyst Upside: 15.57%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 59

Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) ranks among the stocks in Bill Gates’ portfolio that analysts are watching. On October 30, BMO Capital maintained its Outperform rating on Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) but reduced its price target from $310 to $307 for the company’s shares. Despite Ecolab’s usual safe-haven status, BMO Capital sees the 7% sell-off in shares following the company’s earnings report as an alluring buying prospect.

Ecolab’s third-quarter results showed a 3% increase in organic sales and a 4% increase in reported sales. The company’s growth was fueled by rising pricing, increased volume, and a substantial rise in organic operating income margin, which hit 18.7%. However, given the gains from the divestiture of the global surgical solutions business last year, the reported operating income dropped by 27%.

Amid difficult market conditions, BMO states that Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) remains on course to meet its 12–15% EPS target in 2025. Even in a subpar macroeconomic climate, management anticipates comparable growth in 2026.

Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) is a global leader in water, hygiene, and energy technologies. Its solutions serve a wide range of industries, including agriculture, food safety, and industrial processing.