Water, hygiene, and energy technology and services leader Ecolab (NYSE: ECL) announced second-quarter 2017 earnings that didn't disappoint. Then again, judging by the immediate reaction of Mr. Market, they didn't necessarily impress, either. Shares were down 3.5% soon after market open. While there wasn't anything that stood out during the most recent quarter, Ecolab quietly delivered against its stated goals -- and even the expectations of analysts. Revenue, operating income, and earnings per share (EPS) all achieved growth compared to the year-ago period. The company is still on track to hit its full-year financial guidance. And its beleaguered global-energy business segment even grew sales for the first time in what may feel like forever for shareholders. Here's what you need to know about Ecolab's second-quarter 2017 performance. Image source: Getty Images. By the numbers The numbers in the tables below are GAAP metrics, meaning they're unadjusted and account for real-world fluctuation in global currencies. However, management also reports performance on a non-GAAP basis, meaning the numbers are adjusted and reported as if currency rates between periods was fixed. The latter is useful for comparison purposes, especially for a global company, but at the end of the day, investors only need to be concerned with GAAP metrics. Why is that important? Ecolab performed slightly worse on a GAAP basis than on a non-GAAP basis, but the difference wasn't significant. With that in mind, I've included the highlights below and stacked them up side by side with the year-ago period. Investors can review the press release for complete financial details. Here's how the company performed within each of its three business segments. Metric Q2 2017 Q2 2016 Year-Over-Year Percentage Change Global energy revenue $797 million $771 million 3% Global industrial revenue $1.22 billion $1.19 billion 2% Global institutional revenue $1.22 billion $1.14 billion 7% Global energy operating income $74.4 million $80.3 million (7%) Global industrial operating income $170.1 million $178.5 million (5%) Global institutional operating income $260.1 million $245.2 million 6% Corporate operating income ($102.7 million) ($130.4 million) N/A Note: All numbers are reported in public-currency rates and are not adjusted. Source. Ecolab. Each segment reported solid new business and pricing momentum. That wasn't fully exploited during the quarter due to higher delivered-product costs and currency-hedging attempts that missed the mark, but management is expecting a strong second-half performance. Here are some highlights from each business segment: Energy: Strong growth in the well-stimulation business drove revenue growth, aided by smaller gains in the downstream business. The production business is still declining. Industrial: The water business led the segment in the most recent quarter, with a strong performance from customers in Asia Pacific and North America. The second quarter of 2016 was unusually strong. Institutional: The specialty and healthcare businesses led the segment with growth in North America and Latin America. Corporate: Several restructuring and cost-saving measures have begun to pay off, as this segment turned in the biggest year-over-year net improvement in operating income. Zooming out, here's how Ecolab performed as a whole. Metric Q2 2017 Q2 2016 Year-Over-Year Percentage Change Total revenue $3.46 billion $3.32 billion 4% Operating income $439 million $412 million 6% Net income $296 million $258 million 15% EPS, diluted $1.01 $0.87 16% Note: All numbers are reported in public currency rates and are not adjusted. Source: Ecolab. Looking ahead The company quietly delivered in the first half of 2017, which gave management confidence in its full-year 2017 guidance. That includes adjusted EPS in the range of $4.70 to $4.90 per share, or growth of 8% to 12% compared to last year. Where does the company stand relative to that goal? Ecolab reported adjusted EPS of $1.87 in the first half of the year, which means it needs to report adjusted EPS of $2.83 in the second half to hit the low end of guidance. That may seem like a tall task, but the company usually reports more profitable third and fourth quarters. Besides, the company has a long history of delivering for shareholders.10 stocks we like better than EcolabWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Ecolab wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of July 6, 2017Maxx Chatsko has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Ecolab. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.