Ecolab's Most Profitable Segment Is Now a Drag on Its Business

Shares of cleaning and sanitizing giant Ecolab (NYSE: ECL) lost nearly 9% of their value on Tuesday following its release of second-quarter 2020 earnings. While COVID-19-related demand boosted Ecolab's healthcare and life sciences segment revenue, the momentum wasn't enough to offset weakness in other major business lines. Ecolab's revenue declined 15% against the prior-year period to $2.7 billion, while net income plunged from a profit of $369 million to a loss of $2 billion.