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Verdict
Quantitative factor alignment verified for current market regime.
Quant Score
Rank
#723
Positioning
Market Dominance
Manufacturing
Consumer Goods
$77.7B
Christophe Beck
Ecolab Inc. provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Global Industrial, Global Institutional & Specialty, and Global Healthcare & Life Sciences segments. The Global Industrial segment offers water treatment and process applications, cleaning and sanitizing solutions to manufacturing, food and beverage processing, transportation, chemical, metals and mining, power generation, pulp and paper, commercial laundry, petroleum, refining, and petrochemical industries.
Headcount
47.0K
HQ Base
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Dates updated upon official exchange announcement.
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X-AXIS: EV/EBITDA (LOWER = CHEAPER) | Y-AXIS: ROE (HIGHER = ELITE) | RED CIRCLE = ECL ANALYSIS TARGET
| Stock | Rating | Score▼ | Quality | Value | Momentum | P/E | EV/EBITDA | ROE | ROA | Gross Mgn | Op Mgn | Net Mgn | Rev Growth | Div Yield | D/E | Mkt Cap | AUDIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
$UL UNILEVER PLC | 78 | 96 | 98 | 59 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$ASML ASML HOLDING NV | 77 | 89 | 86 | 83 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$ESLT ELBIT SYSTEMS LTD | 76 | 81 | 87 | 85 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$MT ArcelorMittal | 75 | 71 | 98 | 85 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$AMAT APPLIED MATERIALS INC /DE | 75 | 85 | 87 | 84 | 20.9x | 13.6x | 32.9% | 20.5% | 48.8% | 30.6% | 24.4% | 7.7% | 0.9% | 32.0x | $148.6B | VS | |
$SIMO Silicon Motion Technology CORP | 75 | 84 | 86 | 85 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$CODA Coda Octopus Group, Inc. | 74 | 83 | 90 | 79 | 16.3x | 11.9x | 7.4% | 7.5% | 68.3% | 19.5% | 18.2% | 29.0% | 0.0% | 0.0x | $84M | VS | |
$GSK GSK plc | 74 | 84 | 90 | 70 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$EFXT Enerflex Ltd. | 74 | 80 | 91 | 83 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$BUD Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV | 74 | 84 | 97 | 63 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | $0 | VS | |
$ECL ECOLAB INC. | 60 | 64 | 62 | 52 | 38.0x | 28.1x | 23.2% | 9.5% | 44.3% | 19.3% | 14.2% | 4.5% | 0.9% | 145.0x | $77.7B | ||
| SECTOR BENCH | - | - | - | - | - | 22.3x | 11.5x | -1.9% | 0.9% | 44.1% | 2.5% | 1.0% | 6.7% | 0.0% | 0.2x | - | REF |
ECOLAB INC. (ECL) receives a "Hold" rating with a composite score of 59.7/100. It ranks #723 out of 7,333 stocks in our coverage universe and carries a 3-star rating. Ratings are driven by a 6-factor quantitative model measuring quality, value, momentum, investment, stability, and short interest.
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Wilmington, Minnesota
In-line with peers — no strong momentum signal
Trading at a discount to fundamentals — favorable entry valuation
High profitability & efficiency — strong quality floor supports entry
Low volatility — smoother ride and historically better risk-adjusted returns
Moderate investment profile
Mid-range overall rating
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Relative valuation derived from Manufacturing sector benchmarks. Model weights: EV/EBITDA (40%), P/B (35%), P/S (25%). Re-calculated daily.
Projection based on user-defined inputs. Re-calculated daily against current market data.
Reverse DCF Framework — Mauboussin Methodology
Institutional-grade Reverse DCF analysis. This model identifies the growth hurdles embedded in current market prices. When implied growth is significantly lower than historical or projected rates, a margin of safety may exist. Re-audited daily.
No analyst ratings for ECL.
View All Ratings| Factor | Global | Sector | Tilt |
|---|---|---|---|
| PROFITABILITY | 64 | 71 | -7DRAG |
| MOMENTUM | 52 | 49 | +3NEUTRAL |
| VALUATION | 62 | 55 | +7ALPHA |
| INVESTMENT | 38 | 69 | -31DRAG |
| STABILITY | 94 | 98 | -4NEUTRAL |
| SHORT INT | 50 | 53 | -3NEUTRAL |
Global = full universe. Sector = relative to industry peers. Positive tilt indicates idiosyncratic strength.
ROIC 10.1% vs WACC 9.0% (spread +1.1%)
GM 44% vs sector 44%, OM 19% vs sector 3%
Capital turnover 0.68x
Rev growth 5%, 10yr history
Interest coverage 10.2x, Net debt/EBITDA 8.0x
Composite assessment of profitability, capital efficiency, and financial strength. Top-tier entities demonstrate sustainable cash flow generation and elite competitive moats.
Profit generated per dollar of shareholder equity
Efficiency of asset utilization
Pricing power and cost efficiency
Core business profitability
Bottom-line profitability
The Quality factor evaluates the persistence and magnitude of realized cash flows. Companies with scores >70 exhibit superior pricing power and structural financial resilience through diverse economic regimes.
Our uncertainty rating tracks the predictability of future cash flows and potential for permanent capital loss. Moderate visibility with standard industry cyclicality.
We rate ECOLAB INC. (ECL) as a Hold with a composite score of 59.7/100 at a current price of $308.16. The stock presents a mixed quantitative picture — neither compelling enough to warrant new accumulation nor weak enough to justify selling.
ECOLAB INC. holds a top-quartile position (#0 of 50) within the Manufacturing sector, based on our composite quantitative scoring across quality, value, momentum, and stability factors. The composite score of 59.7/100 places it at rank #723 in our full universe.
Narrow
Medium
Standard
Undervalued
Gross margins of 44% signal strong pricing power.
Returns on equity of 23.2% exceed cost of capital.
Stable competitive position in a defensive sector.
Elevated P/E ratio of 38.0x leaves little room for execution misses.
Leverage of 145% D/E amplifies downside risk.
Vulnerability to macroeconomic shocks and interest rate volatility.
ECOLAB INC. represents a hold based on multi-factor quantitative performance.
Our model assigns ECOLAB INC. a Hold rating, with a composite score of 59.7/100 and 3 out of 5 stars. Ranked #723 of 7,333 stocks, ECL presents a mixed quantitative picture — neither compelling enough to initiate new positions nor weak enough to warrant selling. Investors already holding may consider maintaining their position while monitoring for changes in the factor profile.
With a quality score of 64/100, ECL shows adequate but unremarkable business quality. The company reports a return on equity of 23.2% (sector avg: -1.9%), gross margins of 44.3% (sector avg: 44.1%), net margins of 14.2% (sector avg: 1.0%). This suggests the company generates acceptable returns but may lack the competitive positioning or operational efficiency to stand out from peers.
ECL's value score of 62/100 indicates the stock is fairly valued based on its current fundamentals. Key valuation metrics include a P/E ratio of 38.03x, an EV/EBITDA of 28.06x, a P/B ratio of 8.83x. At this level, neither a clear bargain nor overpriced, the stock's attractiveness depends more on forward growth expectations and qualitative factors.
ECOLAB INC.'s investment score of 38/100 suggests limited reinvestment activity. Key growth metrics include revenue growth of 4.5% vs. a sector average of 6.7% and a return on assets of 9.5% (sector: 0.9%). While this can be positive for mature, cash-generative businesses returning capital to shareholders, it may also signal a lack of growth opportunities or management conservatism.
ECL demonstrates moderate momentum with a score of 52/100, suggesting a neutral price trend without strong directional conviction. Revenue growth stands at 4.5% year-over-year, while a beta of 0.54 reflects its sensitivity to broader market moves. Moderate momentum may indicate the stock is consolidating or transitioning between trends, warranting close monitoring of upcoming catalysts.
ECOLAB INC. earns an excellent stability score of 94/100, reflecting low price volatility and a conservatively managed balance sheet. Key stability metrics include a beta of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 145.00x (sector avg: 0.2x). Stocks with this level of stability tend to act as portfolio anchors, providing downside protection during market corrections while still participating in broad market advances.
The short interest score of 50/100 for ECL suggests somewhat elevated bearish positioning by institutional traders. Specific risk factors include elevated leverage (D/E: 145.00x). With a $77.7B market cap (large-cap), ECOLAB INC. may experience above-average volatility. Investors should consider whether the short thesis has merit or if it creates a potential short-squeeze opportunity.
ECL offers a modest dividend yield of 0.9%. While the income contribution is relatively small, even a small dividend signals management's commitment to shareholder returns and can serve as a signal of financial discipline.
ECOLAB INC. is a large-cap company in the Manufacturing sector, ranked #0 of 50 in its sector (100th percentile) and #723 of 7,333 overall (90th percentile). Key comparisons include ROE of 23.2% exceeding the -1.9% sector median and operating margins of 19.3% above the 2.5% sector average. This top-quartile standing reflects exceptional competitive strength relative to Manufacturing peers.
While ECL currently exhibits a HOLD profile, superior opportunities exist within the MANUFACTURING sector. Our model identifies several "Strong Buy" candidates with higher quality scores and more attractive valuations among direct industry competitors.
View Top Manufacturing Alpha →Quant Factor Profile
Key factor gap
Stability (94) vs Investment (38) — closing this gap could shift the rating.
EV/EBITDA 145% ABOVE SECTOR MEDIAN
ROE 1323% BELOW SECTOR MEDIAN
Gross Margin IN LINE WITH SECTOR BENCHMARKS
Above 50MA
37.18%
Net New Highs
+51081
Ecolab Inc. recently filed a shelf registration for debt securities, declared a regular quarterly dividend of US$0.73 per share for April 2026, and previously detailed in its latest Form 10-K the acquisition of Ovivo Electronics and an expansion of its One Ecolab restructuring program. The company also disclosed that long-serving director Victoria J. Reich will not stand for re-election at the May 2026 annual meeting, while continuing its multi-decade pattern of dividend increases and...
Ecolab (ECL) is back in focus after its fourth quarter and full year 2025 results topped Wall Street forecasts for adjusted earnings and revenue, a combination that has supported a fresh burst of investor interest. See our latest analysis for Ecolab. The upbeat Q4 surprise and ongoing share repurchases have coincided with solid momentum, with a 30 day share price return of 7.9% and a 90 day share price return of 13.15%. The 3 year total shareholder return of 98.08% highlights how long term...
Ecolab announced a $1.8 billion cash acquisition of Ovivo Electronics' water purification business, aimed at expanding its semiconductor water solutions and circular water management capabilities. The deal is expected to double Ecolab's high-tech water business and drive strong double-digit growth.
Ecolab reported Q2 2025 financial results with modest revenue growth of 1%, adjusted EPS of $1.89, and improved operating margins of 17.6%. The company showed strong performance in digital solutions, life sciences, and pest elimination segments.
McCollum Christoferson Group fully sold its stake in Simply Good Foods, reducing its position by 125,985 shares. The stock has declined 47% over the past year, with slowing sales growth and concerns about future expansion.