Ecolab Inc (ECL)

Number of days of payables

		Dec 31, 2023	Sep 30, 2023	Jun 30, 2023	Mar 31, 2023	Dec 31, 2022	Sep 30, 2022	Jun 30, 2022	Mar 31, 2022	Dec 31, 2021	Sep 30, 2021	Jun 30, 2021	Mar 31, 2021	Dec 31, 2020	Sep 30, 2020	Jun 30, 2020	Mar 31, 2020	Dec 31, 2019	Sep 30, 2019	Jun 30, 2019	Mar 31, 2019
Payables turnover		8.58	8.88	8.88	8.79	7.36	7.86	7.95	8.17	8.10	8.80	8.74	9.16	9.40	10.40	11.17	10.13	12.05	10.18	9.95	10.41
Number of days of payables	days	42.52	41.12	41.08	41.50	49.58	46.42	45.94	44.67	45.08	41.48	41.74	39.84	38.81	35.10	32.69	36.03	30.28	35.85	36.70	35.07

December 31, 2023 calculation

Number of days of payables = 365 ÷ Payables turnover
= 365 ÷ 8.58
= 42.52

Ecolab, Inc. has shown a decreasing trend in the number of days of payables over the past eight quarters. The number of days of payables ranged from 62.45 days in Q4 2023 to 59.32 days in Q2 2023. This indicates that the company is taking fewer days to pay its suppliers, which may signify a more efficient management of its accounts payable.

Comparing the latest quarter (Q4 2023) to the same quarter of the previous year (Q4 2022), we observe a significant improvement from 71.43 days to 62.45 days. This decrease suggests that Ecolab has been more effective in managing its payables cycle, potentially benefiting from better negotiation terms with suppliers or improved working capital management.

Overall, the decreasing trend in the number of days of payables for Ecolab, Inc. indicates a positive development in managing its accounts payable efficiently and optimizing its cash flow. It is essential for investors and stakeholders to monitor this trend to assess the company's liquidity position and operational efficiency.