Form 4: Ecolab Executive Cook Receives Stock Option Grant

Ecolab EVP Gregory Cook reports a new grant of 8,661 employee stock options and updates his beneficial ownership of common stock.

Summary

• Gregory B. Cook, Executive Vice President and President of the Institutional Group at Ecolab Inc. (ECL), reported changes in his beneficial ownership.
• He was granted 8,661 employee stock options on December 3, 2025, with an exercise price of $268.515 per share.
• These options will vest cumulatively: one-third of the shares will become exercisable on December 3, 2026, another one-third on December 3, 2027, and the remaining shares on December 3, 2028.
• The granted stock options have an expiration date of December 3, 2035.
• Cook directly owns 9,070.38 shares of Ecolab Common Stock.
• He indirectly owns 3,532.48 units in the Ecolab Stock Fund of the Ecolab Savings Plan (401(k) Plan) as of November 30, 2025.
• The 3,532.48 units are equivalent to approximately 6,481 shares of Ecolab Common Stock and include 16.868 units acquired since his last report.

Sentiment

Score: 6

Explanation: The filing reports a routine executive compensation event (stock option grant) which is generally viewed as neutral to slightly positive, as it aligns management's interests with shareholder value creation.

Positives

• The grant of 8,661 employee stock options aligns management's interests with shareholders, incentivizing long-term performance.
• An increase of 16.868 units in the Ecolab Savings Plan indicates continued investment by the executive in company stock.

Future Outlook

This filing is a routine disclosure of an insider transaction and does not contain forward-looking statements or guidance regarding the company's future performance or outlook.

Industry Context

The grant of stock options to executives is a common practice in publicly traded companies across various industries, serving as a form of performance-based compensation and a mechanism to align management incentives with shareholder value creation.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• The use of employee stock options with a multi-year vesting schedule is a standard executive compensation practice, aligning with typical industry benchmarks for long-term incentive plans.
• The structure of vesting over three years (one-third annually) is a common approach to encourage executive retention and sustained performance, comparable to practices at other large-cap companies.

Stakeholder Impact

• Shareholders: The grant of stock options to a key executive can be seen as a positive signal of management alignment with long-term shareholder interests.
• Employees: This filing specifically pertains to executive compensation and does not directly impact the broader employee base beyond standard compensation practices.

Next Steps

• The stock options will vest in three annual increments, with the first vesting on December 3, 2026, the second on December 3, 2027, and the final portion on December 3, 2028.

Key Dates

Keywords

Ecolab, ECL, Form 4, Insider Transaction, Stock Options, Executive Compensation, Beneficial Ownership, Gregory B. Cook