ECL
Ecolab
$269.34
▲ 0.1%Updated Today 7:15 PM ET
▲ Up 3.4% over the last 12 months
Market Cap
$75.74B
P/E
35.9x
Forward P/E (est.)
35.71x
ROE
21.7%
Revenue Growth
4.9%
EPS Growth
0.6%
Profit Margin
12.8%
FCF Yield
2.8%
Debt / Equity
0.84x
ROIC
12.0%
Interest Coverage
8.94x
Current Ratio
0.99x
Dividend Yield
1.1%
Implied Growth (rev. DCF)
6.3%
Rating Score
46/100
Technical analysis reads price and volume to judge momentum and timing. It complements the fundamentals above — it does not replace them. Here is what ECL's chart says today, with each tool explained.
Trend — moving averages. A moving average is the average closing price over a window, which smooths out daily noise. ECL trades near $269.34, around its 50-day average ($261.12) and 200-day average ($270.27). Price tangled in its moving averages means there is no clear trend — the stock is ranging.
Momentum — RSI. The Relative Strength Index runs 0–100 and measures how strong recent gains are versus losses. Above 70 is "overbought", below 30 "oversold". At 62 it is in neutral territory — neither stretched nor washed out.
MACD. MACD compares two moving averages to flag shifts in momentum. Its histogram is currently positive — short-term momentum is improving.
Volatility — ATR. Average True Range is the typical daily move. ECL's is $7.20 (~2.7% of price), so swings of about that size each day are normal — handy for setting a stop that isn't too tight.
Support & resistance. Over the last month ECL found buyers near $244.93 (support) and sellers near $276.78 (resistance); its 52-week range is $243.15–$309.27. A decisive break beyond either edge often marks the next move.
Volume. The latest session traded 1.8× the 20-day average — heavier than usual, which adds conviction to the move. Rising volume on up-days suggests real buying; on down-days, real selling.
Educational information to help you read a chart — not a recommendation or a forecast. It updates daily as the price and indicators change.
Ecolab (ECL) is a large-cap company in the Specialty Chemicals industry, part of the Materials sector of the S&P 500, with a market value around $75.74B.
In its latest reported year it generated about $16.08B in revenue and $2.08B in net profit.
Our model rates ECL Neutral (46/100) on growth, profitability, financial health, and valuation. The summary below is built from its filed financials and current ratios and refreshes automatically.
4Y CAGR
6.0%
Revenue moved from $12.73B in 2021 to $16.08B in 2025, a 6.0% compound annual growth rate. The most recent year was roughly flat (4.9%) year over year. Slower, mature growth is common for established businesses.
Gross Margin
44.4%
Operating Margin
17.0%
Net Margin
12.9%
ROE
21.7%
Ecolab keeps about 12.8% of each sales dollar as net profit, with a 44.4% gross margin and 17.0% operating margin. Return on equity is 21.7% and return on invested capital about 12.0%. Margins are moderate — typical of a competitive but profitable business.
Total Debt
$7.60B
Net Debt
$7.08B
Net Debt / EBITDA
2.59x
Debt / Equity
0.84x
Leverage: debt-to-equity is 0.8x, and operating profit covers interest about 8.9x, with a current ratio of 1.0x. That is a moderate, manageable debt load for most businesses. It carries roughly $7.60B of total debt against $519.80M of cash.
Operating CF
$2.95B
Free Cash Flow
$1.90B
FCF Margin
11.8%
In the latest year Ecolab produced about $2.95B of operating cash flow and $1.90B of free cash flow after capital spending. That is a free-cash-flow yield of about 2.8% on today's price. Cash flow is what ultimately pays shareholders, so it is worth tracking over time.
P/E
35.9x
P/S
4.78x
P/B
7.48x
EV / EBITDA
24.38x
ECL trades at 35.9x trailing earnings (about 35.7x on estimated forward earnings), 4.8x sales, and 7.5x book value. Reverse-engineering today's price implies the market expects roughly 6.3% long-term free-cash-flow growth. That is a premium multiple that needs growth to justify it.
Where this stock sits versus what most companies trade at.
Typical ranges are general references (e.g., many stocks trade at ~18–26x earnings), not hard rules. Context only — not investment advice.
How ECL stacks up against its Materials peers — valuation, profitability, and growth versus the sector median.
In the Materials sector (26 S&P 500 companies), ECL ranks #15 of 26 by our overall rating. It trades at a premium versus the sector on earnings (35.9x P/E vs. 27.7x median) with a higher return on equity (21.7% vs. 14.1%) and slower revenue growth (4.9% vs. 4.9%).
P/E vs sector
35.9x
median 27.7x
ROE vs sector
21.7%
median 14.1%
Growth vs sector
4.9%
median 4.9%
Sector rank
#15
of 26 by rating
Valuation vs. quality map
The sweet spot is upper-left: more profitable (higher ROE) for a lower P/E. Dashed lines mark the sector median.
Peers are the closest Materials companies by sub-industry and size. Sector median is across all 26 S&P 500 names in the sector. Educational, not a recommendation.
Project revenue → earnings → price. Edit the assumptions to build your own case.
2030 price target (Base Case)
$208.57 – $341.29
vs. $269.34 today · expected CAGR -5% – 5%
| Metric | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $16.89B | $17.73B | $18.62B | $19.55B | $20.52B |
| Net income | $2.20B | $2.30B | $2.42B | $2.54B | $2.67B |
| EPS | $7.80 | $8.19 | $8.60 | $9.03 | $9.48 |
| Share price (low) | $171.59 | $180.17 | $189.18 | $198.64 | $208.57 |
| Share price (high) | $280.78 | $294.82 | $309.56 | $325.04 | $341.29 |
| CAGR (low–high) | -36% / 4% | -18% / 5% | -11% / 5% | -7% / 5% | -5% / 5% |
Educational model on sample fundamentals — not a forecast or investment advice. Outputs are only as good as your assumptions.
The case for ECL:
- Strong return on equity (21.7%) shows capital is put to work well.
- As an established S&P 500 member in Materials, it brings scale and a long operating history.
The case against ECL:
- Like any single stock, it is exposed to competition, the economic cycle, and shifts in its end markets.
Valuation risk — at 35.9x earnings, disappointing results could compress the multiple.
Market risk — sector rotation, the economic cycle, and broad sentiment move the stock regardless of fundamentals.
On balance, the picture is mixed: Ecolab is a large-cap materials business growing at a mature pace, with solid profitability, and a heavier debt load to watch. It trades at 35.9x earnings, which our model scores Neutral (46/100). Weigh this against your own goals and time horizon — this is educational information, not a recommendation.
Data notice. Fundamentals and financial statements are sourced from company filings (SEC EDGAR) and market-data providers; prices and market caps refresh on trading days and may be delayed. Ratings, projections, technical signals, and written summaries are model- or rule-generated for education and may simplify or lag the latest filings.
Not advice. Nothing on this page is investment advice or a recommendation to buy, hold, or sell any security. Do your own research and consult a licensed financial professional before investing.