Df Dent & Co Has Lifted Position in Ecolab (ECL); Fragasso Group Has Trimmed Stake in Discover Financial Services (DFS) by $667,590 as Valuation Declined

December 21, 2017 - By Stephen Andrade

Df Dent & Co Inc increased its stake in Ecolab Inc (ECL) by 7.02% based on its latest 2017Q3 regulatory filing with the SEC. Df Dent & Co Inc bought 78,783 shares as the company’s stock rose 2.53% with the market. The institutional investor held 1.20M shares of the package goods and cosmetics company at the end of 2017Q3, valued at $154.45 million, up from 1.12M at the end of the previous reported quarter. Df Dent & Co Inc who had been investing in Ecolab Inc for a number of months, seems to be bullish on the $38.57 billion market cap company. The stock decreased 0.43% or $0.57 during the last trading session, reaching $133.51. About 1.57 million shares traded or 51.59% up from the average. Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) has risen 9.41% since December 21, 2016 and is uptrending. It has underperformed by 7.29% the S&P500.

Fragasso Group Inc decreased its stake in Discover Financial Services (DFS) by 45.36% based on its latest 2017Q3 regulatory filing with the SEC. Fragasso Group Inc sold 10,115 shares as the company’s stock declined 15.69% while stock markets rallied. The institutional investor held 12,183 shares of the consumer services company at the end of 2017Q3, valued at $811,000, down from 22,298 at the end of the previous reported quarter. Fragasso Group Inc who had been investing in Discover Financial Services for a number of months, seems to be less bullish one the $27.63B market cap company. The stock increased 0.40% or $0.3 during the last trading session, reaching $76.04. About 2.07M shares traded. Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) has risen 10.42% since December 21, 2016 and is uptrending. It has underperformed by 6.28% the S&P500.

Among 30 analysts covering Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS), 21 have Buy rating, 0 Sell and 9 Hold. Therefore 70% are positive. Discover Financial Services had 70 analyst reports since July 24, 2015 according to SRatingsIntel. Oppenheimer maintained Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) on Tuesday, October 6 with “Outperform” rating. RBC Capital Markets maintained the stock with “Buy” rating in Thursday, June 29 report. RBC Capital Markets maintained the stock with “Top Pick” rating in Thursday, January 28 report. The stock has “Buy” rating by Keefe Bruyette & Woods on Monday, July 17. The firm has “Buy” rating by Jefferies given on Thursday, September 1. The company was downgraded on Thursday, February 11 by Bank of America. The stock of Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) has “Buy” rating given on Tuesday, June 13 by Keefe Bruyette & Woods. Deutsche Bank maintained it with “Buy” rating and $63 target in Wednesday, May 4 report. The stock has “Neutral” rating by Bank of America on Wednesday, October 25. Jefferies maintained the shares of DFS in report on Thursday, September 7 with “Buy” rating.

Investors sentiment decreased to 0.77 in Q3 2017. Its down 0.14, from 0.91 in 2017Q2. It turned negative, as 71 investors sold DFS shares while 261 reduced holdings. 58 funds opened positions while 197 raised stakes. 301.28 million shares or 2.91% less from 310.30 million shares in 2017Q2 were reported. Westpac Banking Corp owns 23,662 shares. 12,011 are owned by Loring Wolcott & Coolidge Fiduciary Advisors Ltd Liability Partnership Ma. Price T Rowe Assoc Md accumulated 810,511 shares or 0.01% of the stock. Pittenger And Anderson holds 0.01% or 1,500 shares in its portfolio. Loomis Sayles And LP has invested 0.07% in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS). Wasatch Advsr Inc accumulated 16,352 shares. Quadrant Capital Mgmt Lc owns 0.3% invested in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) for 6,315 shares. Brown Advisory has invested 0.01% of its portfolio in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS). Landscape Cap Management Limited Liability Corp invested 0.15% in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS). Chevy Chase Trust Hldg holds 0.1% of its portfolio in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) for 343,321 shares. Calamos Wealth Mgmt Ltd stated it has 11,831 shares or 0.11% of all its holdings. Quantbot Limited Partnership owns 39,209 shares or 0.24% of their US portfolio. Glenmede Na accumulated 773,352 shares. Shell Asset Mgmt reported 71,704 shares. Moreover, Toronto Dominion Natl Bank has 0.03% invested in Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS).

Analysts await Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) to report earnings on January, 23. They expect $1.53 EPS, up 9.29% or $0.13 from last year’s $1.4 per share. DFS’s profit will be $555.96 million for 12.42 P/E if the $1.53 EPS becomes a reality. After $1.59 actual EPS reported by Discover Financial Services for the previous quarter, Wall Street now forecasts -3.77% negative EPS growth.

Among 21 analysts covering Ecolab (NYSE:ECL), 10 have Buy rating, 1 Sell and 10 Hold. Therefore 48% are positive. Ecolab had 53 analyst reports since July 30, 2015 according to SRatingsIntel. The stock has “Hold” rating by Jefferies on Thursday, July 13. Macquarie Research initiated it with “Outperform” rating and $143 target in Friday, August 26 report. The rating was reinitiated by Credit Suisse on Thursday, March 24 with “Neutral”. The stock has “Buy” rating by Canaccord Genuity on Thursday, June 1. The rating was maintained by Deutsche Bank with “Hold” on Wednesday, August 2. The firm has “Outperform” rating by Oppenheimer given on Tuesday, November 3. On Monday, April 3 the stock rating was upgraded by Instinet to “Neutral”. The firm earned “Neutral” rating on Wednesday, February 22 by Longbow. Stifel Nicolaus maintained it with “Buy” rating and $123 target in Wednesday, January 6 report. The stock has “Buy” rating by Canaccord Genuity on Thursday, July 27.

Since August 3, 2017, it had 1 buy, and 1 sale for $9.04 million activity. Another trade for 75,500 shares valued at $10.01 million was made by GATES WILLIAM H III on Thursday, August 3.

Investors sentiment increased to 1.19 in Q3 2017. Its up 0.25, from 0.94 in 2017Q2. It is positive, as 31 investors sold ECL shares while 274 reduced holdings. 81 funds opened positions while 281 raised stakes. 213.37 million shares or 1.11% more from 211.02 million shares in 2017Q2 were reported. 21,410 were reported by Old Point N A. Dnb Asset Management As owns 29,558 shares. Robecosam Ag stated it has 56,956 shares or 0.57% of all its holdings. Spectrum Management Gru holds 0.02% or 511 shares in its portfolio. 6,408 are owned by Montecito Financial Bank. Brinker Incorporated reported 0.42% stake. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Hldgs reported 0.13% stake. Veritable LP reported 10,891 shares stake. Td Asset holds 0.04% or 212,331 shares in its portfolio. Citigroup invested in 0.02% or 195,668 shares. First Personal has 0.02% invested in Ecolab Inc. (NYSE:ECL) for 570 shares. Bancorporation accumulated 3,749 shares. Schwab Charles Investment Mgmt Inc holds 0.1% or 883,687 shares. New York State Common Retirement Fund reported 1.15 million shares. Comm Natl Bank owns 51,751 shares.