Price as of close on Nov 3, 2026 · Financials updated Oct 8, 2026
Basics
Sector
Basic Materials
Industry
Specialty Chemicals
Country
United States
Market cap
85.4B USD
Enterprise value
89.0B USD
Full-time employees
48,000
Overall health
Strength:more profitable than most peersmore profitable than peers
Drawback:its shares are priced higher than most peers relative to what it earnspriced higher than peers for its earnings
Drawback:higher risk than most peers: more debt relative to equity (1.31× vs a peer median of 0.36×)higher risk: more debt vs equity (1.31× vs peers 0.36×)
About average: growth
Ranks #733 of 1,217 basic materials companies (bottom 40%)
Since last quarter: No major changeValuation also moves with the share price every day.
Why it changed since the Oct 27, 2026 close: Score 36 → 34
Share price +4.6%-1
Peer companies moved-1
Each step re-scores the company against its peers as they were on Oct 28, 2026; the parts add up to the change. Price effects on EBITDA yield are approximate.
Why it changed since the Oct 27, 2026 close: Safety percentile 15 → 16
Peer companies moved+1
Each step re-scores the company against its peers as they were on Oct 28, 2026; the parts add up to the change. Price effects on EBITDA yield are approximate.
Valuation, growth and profitability scores: higher is better. Risk: 0 is lower, 2 is higher. Risk is a relative proxy, not a bankruptcy probability. Scores depend on available sector peers.
Questions investors ask about Ecolab
Is Ecolab getting weaker?
Its latest SEC filing (Aug 6, 2026) showed no major changes: debt up 55%. Its overall score is unchanged at 46/100 since Oct 28, 2026.
How is Ecolab valued vs its peers?
Priced higher than most peers relative to what it earns. Valuation scores 34/100 against 1,371 basic materials peers.EBITDA yield 4.4% vs a peer median of 8.5% (weaker than 70% of peers).EBITDA yield 4.4% vs peers 8.5% (weaker than 70% of peers).
Is Ecolab growing?
At about the same pace as its peers. Growth scores 57/100 against 1,371 basic materials peers.3-year revenue growth 4.5% vs a peer median of -0.0% (stronger than 67% of peers).3-year revenue growth 4.5% vs peers -0.0% (stronger than 67% of peers).
How profitable is Ecolab?
More profitable than most of its peers. Profitability scores 77/100 against 1,371 basic materials peers.Return on assets 7.1% vs a peer median of 2.5% (stronger than 81% of peers).Return on assets 7.1% vs peers 2.5% (stronger than 81% of peers).
How risky is Ecolab?
Higher risk relative to 1,371 basic materials peers, judged on debt, liquidity and share-price swings.Debt / equity 1.31× vs a peer median of 0.36× (weaker than 90% of peers).Debt / equity 1.31× vs peers 0.36× (weaker than 90% of peers). A relative measure, not a bankruptcy probability.
Latest filing: what changed
Quarter ended Jun 30, 2026 · filed Aug 6, 2026 · compared with the quarter ended Mar 31, 2026
No major changes
Debt up 55%
Previous quarter
Latest quarter
Change
Revenue (12 months)
16.5B USD
16.8B USD
+2.4%
Net income (12 months)
2.1B USD
2.1B USD
+0.5%
Operating margin
17.0%
16.9%
−0.1 pts
Free cash flow (12 months)
1.9B USD
1.9B USD
+0.2%
Debt
8.5B USD
13.2B USD
+55.1%
Cash
519.8M USD
5.1B USD
+887.9%
From the company’s own SEC filings, as filed. Twelve-month figures roll forward one quarter at a time.
Industry valuation context
Industry: Specialty Chemicals · 32 companies
Valuations in Specialty Chemicals are above their usual range since 2016.
74% of months since 2016 were valued lower than now.
17% of companies are in the most expensive fifth of their own price-to-sales history.
Over 24 months, company values −8% and earnings +13% (medians): earnings grew faster than prices.
Median price-to-sales is −36% vs the whole market, against a usual −31%.
2016Shaded: most expensive fifth of its range2026
This is a cyclical group: after a downturn, trailing earnings and sales fall faster than prices, which can make valuations look high near a cycle's low.
Describes valuations since 2016; it does not predict prices. US companies worth $1B+, from SEC filings and month-end prices, as of Aug 2026. Today's companies and industry labels are used throughout. Measured on earnings, EBITDA, sales and free cash flow yields. How this works
Financials
Fiscal years from SEC annual filings · change vs the prior year
Key ratios
FY 2021
FY 2022
FY 2023
FY 2024
FY 2025
Change
Gross margin
40.2%
37.8%
40.2%
43.5%
44.5%
▲ 1.0 pts
Operating margin
12.6%
11.0%
13.0%
17.8%
17.0%
▼ 0.8 pts
Net margin
8.9%
7.7%
9.0%
13.4%
12.9%
▼ 0.5 pts
Return on assets (ROA)
5.3%
5.1%
6.3%
9.4%
8.4%
▼ 1.0 pts
Return on equity (ROE)
15.6%
15.1%
17.1%
24.1%
21.2%
▼ 2.9 pts
Free cash flow margin
11.1%
7.6%
10.7%
11.6%
11.8%
▲ 0.3 pts
Current ratio
1.32×
1.30×
1.30×
1.26×
1.08×
▼ 14%
Quick ratio
0.90×
0.88×
0.95×
0.95×
0.81×
▼ 15%
Debt to equity
1.21×
1.19×
1.02×
0.86×
0.84×
▼ 2.4%
Interest coverage
6.93×
6.20×
5.71×
8.24×
8.94×
▲ 8.6%
ECL price history
Price history is added with the daily price update and will appear after the next one.