This document provides shareholder information for Ecolab Inc., including contact information for financial inquiries, quarterly earnings announcements, and annual reports. It lists the independent accountants, investor relations contact, financial analysts providing research coverage, and details on the company's stock listing, dividends, dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plans, transfer agent, and annual meeting.

1. S h ar eh o ld er In f o rmati on
For recorded news and to obtain financial F i n a n c i a l I n fo rm a ti o n / Fo rm 10- K
Investors may call 1-800-322-8325 or access Ecolab’s Internet
information, call 1-800-FACT-ECL Web site at www.ecolab.com for quarterly earnings, announce-
(1-800-322-8325) ments, press releases and other Ecolab information, and
to obtain copies of Ecolab’s financial reports filed with the
Alaska, Hawaii and international callers Securities and Exchange Commission. A copy of the Form 10-K
may dial (402) 573-9859 Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 1996, may
also be obtained without charge by written request to:
On the Internet’s World Wide Web, con- Corporate Secretary, Ecolab Inc., 370 N. Wabasha Street,
St. Paul, MN 55102.
tact Ecolab at www.ecolab.com
I n d e p e n d e n t A c c o u n ta n ts
Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., 650 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis,
MN 55402.
Annual Meeting
The annual meeting of stockholders will be held on Friday, I n v e s to r R e l a ti o n s
May 9, 1997, at 10 a.m. in the McKnight Theatre at the Ordway Securities analysts, portfolio managers and representatives of
Music Theatre, 345 Washington Street, St. Paul, MN 55102. financial institutions seeking information about the company
should direct their inquiries to: Michael J. Monahan, External
Common Stock
Relations, vice president, Ecolab Inc., 370 N. Wabasha Street,
Ecolab common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange St. Paul, MN 55102. Telephone: (612) 293-2809.
and the Pacific Stock Exchange under the symbol ECL. Ecolab
is also traded on an unlisted basis on certain other exchanges. R e s e a rc h R e p o rts
Options are traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The The following firms are among those which have recently pro-
company is included in the Chemicals (Specialty) Group of vided research coverage on Ecolab: Dain Bosworth; Donaldson,
the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index. As of March 7, 1997 Lufkin & Jenrette; Credit Suisse First Boston; Ingalls & Snyder;
the Company had 4,968 shareholders of record. Merrill Lynch; Morgan Stanley, Dean Witter, Discover; Piper
Jaffray; Salomon Bros.; Prudential Securities; Standard & Poor’s;
Dividends
and Value Line.
Ecolab has paid common stock dividends for 60 consecutive
years. Quarterly cash dividends customarily are paid on the 15th Tra n s fe r A g e n t, R e g i s tra r a n d P a y i n g A g ent
of January, April, July and October. Dividends of $0.125 per First Chicago Trust Company of New York
share were declared in February, May and August 1995, and P.O. Box 2500
$0.14 per share in December 1995, and February, May and Jersey City, NJ 07303-2500
August 1996. A dividend of $0.16 per share was declared in Telephone: (201) 324-0313; or 1-800-322-8325
December 1996.
E-mail messages and information requests may be sent to:
“fctc@em.fcnbd.com” Messages may also be sent by accessing
Dividend Rein vest m ent / St ock Pur chase
the transfer agent’s internet address at “http://www.fctc.com”
Shareholders of record may reinvest their dividends auto-
matically in additional shares of Ecolab common stock at the Please use the following address for items delivered by courier:
market price. Participants may also invest up to an additional First Chicago Trust Company of New York
$60,000 per year in Ecolab common stock through this service. 14 Wall Street
To enroll in the plan or to obtain additional information, contact Mail Suite 4680 – 8th Floor
First Chicago Trust Company of New York at P.O. Box 2500, New York, NY 10005
Jersey City, NJ 07303-2500. Telephone: (201) 324-0313 or
Shareholders may contact the transfer agent at the above numbers
1-800-322-8325.
for information or assistance concerning share transfers, dividend
payments, account history, lost stock certificates, taxable income
or to report address changes. The transfer agent provides tele-
phone customer assistance Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
(Eastern Time). Extended service is offered to callers via the
Automated Voice Response System Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to
10 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Eastern Time).
Ecolab Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.
E This annual report is printed on recycled paper containing 10%
post-consumer waste.