SEC Form 4
FORM 4 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
FRITZE STEVEN L

(Last) (First) (Middle)
ECOLAB INC.
370 WABASHA STREET N.

(Street)
ST. PAUL MN 55102

(City) (State) (Zip)
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ECOLAB INC [ ECL ]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
Director 10% Owner
X Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)
Chief Financial Officer
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
05/08/2012
4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
X Form filed by One Reporting Person
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 05/08/2012 M 55,133 A $44.33 129,150 D
Common Stock 05/05/2012 F(1) 45,258 D $64.485 83,892 D
Common Stock 05/08/2012 M 29,895 A $49.335 113,787 D
Common Stock 05/08/2012 F(1) 25,870 D $64.485 87,917 D
Common Stock 05/08/2012 M 1,394 A $51.52 89,311 D
Common Stock 05/08/2012 F(1) 1,232 D $64.485 88,079 D
Common Stock 05/08/2012 M 50,000 A $27.39 138,079 D
Common Stock 05/08/2012 F(1) 32,631 D $64.485 105,448 D
Common Stock 12,669.129(2) I By Ecolab Savings Plan
Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year) 7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $44.33 05/08/2012 M 55,133 09/11/2009 12/05/2012 Common Stock 55,133 $0.00 0 D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $49.335 05/08/2012 M 29,895 05/03/2010 12/05/2012 Common Stock 29,895 $0.00 0 D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $51.52 05/08/2012 M 1,394 12/13/2007 12/05/2012 Common Stock 1,394 $0.00 0 D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) $27.39 05/08/2012 M 50,000 12/11/2004(3) 12/11/2013 Common Stock 50,000 $0.00 50,000 D
Explanation of Responses:
1. Reflects the reporting person's payment of the exercise price and witholding taxes for a stock option issued in accordance with Rule 16b-3 by delivering or withholding shares of Ecolab common stock.
2. Number of UNITS in the Ecolab Stock Fund of the Ecolab Savings Plan (401(k) Plan) as of April 30, 2012. Includes 82.255 UNITS acquired since the reporting person's last report. (The 12,669.129 UNITS are the equivalent of approximately 23,556 SHARES of the issuer's Common Stock.)
3. Option granted under the Ecolab Inc. 2002 Stock Incentive Plan on December 11, 2003. The option became exercisable, on a cumulative basis, as to one-third of the option shares (excluding any fractional portion less than one share), on each of the first and second anniversaries of the date of grant and as to the remaining option shares on the third anniversary of the date of grant.
/s/David F. Duvick, Attorney-in-Fact for Steven L. Fritze 05/10/2012
** Signature of Reporting Person Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.