Mostly Markets
Subscribe
Stocks/Materials/Specialty Chemicals

EcolabECL

Specialty Chemicals · Saint Paul, Minnesota · In the S&P 500
High qualityPricier than peers
$302.98+0.70%After hours: $302.98 (0.00%)At the close, 30 Oct · Prices from CNBC, may be delayed
▲ 17.7% over 1 year
Ecolab over 1 yearDaily close, $, to 30 Oct 2026
$260$280Nov2026MarMayJulSep$302.98$250$275NovMarJul$302.98
Source: Nasdaq daily closes
Market value$84.93B
Price to earnings41.2x
Forward P/E35.5x
Dividend yield0.96%
Year to date+15.4%
One year+17.7%
Next earningsNot scheduled
SectorMaterials
52-week range (closes)
$245.73$308.35

Quality and valuation

How Ecolab compares with other materials stocks. A description, not a recommendation.

Ecolab and 5 specialty chemicals peers. Across: valuation (P/E) against the sector. Up: business quality against the sector. Hover or tap a logo for its numbers.

Business quality: stronger than mostValuation: pricier than most

A stronger business than most materials companies, priced above most of them.

Ecolab trades at 35.5 times the next 12 months of expected earnings, against a median of 16.1x for the 28 materials stocks we cover. The quality score blends where it ranks on revenue growth, gross margin, operating margin and free-cash-flow margin (net margin for banks and insurers) over the last 12 months, from SEC filings.

  • Revenue grew faster than the sector median: +9.3% vs +9.1%
  • Keeps more of each sale (gross margin): 43.9% vs 27.9%
  • More profitable (operating margin): 16.7% vs 10.9%
  • Turns more of its sales into cash: 10.3% vs 7.6%
ECL trades at 35.5x forward earnings, above the sector medianForward p/e, Specialty Chemicals peers
ALB9.2xLYB9.4xPPG14.7xSHW26.6xIFF27.2xECL35.5xSector median 16.1xALB9.2xLYB9.4xPPG14.7xSHW26.6xIFF27.2xECL35.5xSector median 16.1x
Source: CNBC quotes; Mostly Markets
At 41.2x earnings, ECL is pricier than its average since Oct 2024Price over the last 12 months of reported (GAAP) diluted EPS
P/EUsual range (±1 s.d.)
35x40xAverage 36.5x2025202641.2x35x40xAverage 36.5x2025202641.2x
Source: Nasdaq prices; SEC filings

Financials

From Ecolab's SEC filings, through the quarter ending 30 Sep 2026. Hover or tap a bar for its value.

Revenue grew 12.7% from a year earlierQuarterly revenue, $bn, latest Q3 ’26
$0bn$2bn$4bnQ4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’25$4.7bnQ3 ’26$0bn$2bn$4bnQ4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’25$4.7bnQ3 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Growth sped up to +12.7% last quarterRevenue growth, year on year, %
0%5%10%Q4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’2512.7%Q3 ’260%5%10%Q4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’2512.7%Q3 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Operating margin was 17.3% last quarterOperating income as a share of revenue, %
0%5%10%15%Q4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’2517.3%Q3 ’260%10%Q4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’2517.3%Q3 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Free cash flow was $1.8 billion over 12 monthsQuarterly free cash flow (operating cash flow minus capex), $m
$0m$200m$400m$600mQ4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’25$450mQ3 ’26$0m$500mQ4 ’24Q2 ’25Q4 ’25$450mQ3 ’26
Source: SEC filings
Last 12 monthsECLSector median
Revenue growth+9.3%+9.1%
Gross margin43.9%27.9%
Operating margin16.7%10.9%
Free cash flow margin10.3%7.6%
Price to earnings41.2x19.9x

Stories on Ecolab

We haven't written about Ecolab yet. Follow it, and its first story will show under My stocks on the front page.

Similar companies

Specialty Chemicals, by market value.

CompanyPriceTodayYTDValue
SHWSherwin-Williams$332.61+0.76%+2.6%$80.36B
PPGPPG Industries$119.52−0.40%+16.7%$26.40B
IFFInternational Flavors & Fragrances$93.02+2.43%+38.0%$23.73B
LYBLyondellBasell$68.64+5.00%+58.5%$22.17B
ALBAlbemarle$91.00−2.43%−35.7%$10.74B