Ecolab Inc (ECL) Fair Value & Analysis
Basic Materials · US · Market cap $77.2B · ISIN US2788651006
What is Ecolab Inc really worth?
Ecolab Inc
ECL · US
A solid business, but trading 190% above our fair value of $96.18.
Strengths
Risks
For context
Fair value as of: Aug 30, 2026
From 26 valuation models · updated 6 days ago
Share price −1.5% over the past month.
What runs behind every stock
69 individual criteria per stock, every one traceable See the method →
What matters now
- The price sits above even our optimistic bull case ($128.03). The favourable scenario is already priced in.
- Solid but not exceptional quality (62/100) and above fair value, neither a clear bargain nor a standout compounder.
- A fairly wide model range ($56.66 to $128.03) leaves room in how you read the outcome.
Price vs Fair Value (5 years)
White line = price, green steps = our fair value per fiscal year, dashed = 300-day average. As of Aug 30, 2026.
How to read this chart
60‑month range $126.04 – $306.69 · fair‑value band $56.66 – $128.03 · the $278.97 price screens above the $96.18 fair value. Green steps = our fair value per fiscal year (point-in-time, no hindsight). Dashed = 300-day average. As of Aug 30, 2026.
Analysis
Ecolab Inc (ECL) currently trades at $278.97, while our model-based Fair Value estimate is $96.18, implying the stock looks roughly 190.0% overvalued today. The Quality Score stands at 62/100 (solid quality), in the Basic Materials sector. Bull case: the Growth Earnings group reads highest at a median of $118.35 per share, and 0 of the 26 models we run sit above the $278.97 price. Bear case: the Asset-Based group reads lowest at $23.26, and 26 of the 26 models stay below the price. Evidence for this calculation is high.
Over the trailing twelve months, Ecolab Inc generated revenue of $16.5B at a net margin of 12.8%. Revenue grew 10.0% year over year. It earns a return on equity of 22.4%. Net debt stands at $8.8B. Fundamentals as of Aug 30, 2026
Our scenario range runs from $56.66 (bear case) to $128.03 (bull case); at $278.97, the current price sits above that range. Bear and bull are the same models run on conservative and optimistic assumptions (margins, growth, valuation multiples), so a plausible valuation range, not a price target. The share trades about 10% below its 52-week high and 15% above its 52-week low, currently above its 200-day average. For context, the median of 10 Basic Materials peers we cover trades at −58% fair-value upside, at −66%, ECL screens richer than that median.
Fair Value models
This estimate rests on fiscal year 2025 figures, and about 8 months have passed since. In that time the company retained roughly $3.14 per share, which is 3.3 % of the fair value. The fair value deliberately does not add this in: the models value reported figures, not a projection.
Each model estimates fair value its own way; the Fair Value above is the evidence-weighted, family-balanced blend. Evidence (0–100) measures how completely this model’s inputs are available: well-fed models carry more weight in the blend. The spread across models is intentional, each one stresses a different value driver; dividend models, for instance, come out structurally low when payout is small. Every input is real reported data, nothing guessed.
All 26 models by family
Widest divergence: Growth Earnings ($118.35) versus Asset-Based ($23.26). Highest evidence: FCF DCF (77).
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Key figures & financial health
More key figures
Figures from reported company fundamentals · as of Aug 30, 2026. TTM = trailing twelve months.
Quality Score breakdown
Of which business quality 59 · Market factors (momentum, volatility) 55
Non-valuation factor families (profitability, growth, cashflow, financial strength, momentum …), each academically grounded. Valuation itself sits in the Fair Value and is deliberately excluded here to avoid double-counting.
All values are scores from 0 to 100 (100 = best against fixed, research-based bands), not percentages. The three market factors (momentum, 52-week proximity, low volatility) are displayed but carry zero weight in the headline number: market sentiment is not a business property.
About the company
Ecolab Inc. provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Global Water, Global Institutional & Specialty, Global Pest Elimination, and Global Life Sciences.
Full company description
Ecolab Inc. provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Global Water, Global Institutional & Specialty, Global Pest Elimination, and Global Life Sciences. The Global Water segment offers water treatment and process applications, and cleaning and sanitizing solutions to manufacturing, food and beverage processing, transportation, chemical, primary metals and mining, power generation, global refining, petrochemical, pulp and paper industries. The Global Institutional & Specialty segment provides cleaning and sanitizing products to the foodservice, healthcare, hospitality, lodging, government, education and retail industries. The Global Pest Elimination segment provides pest elimination services to detect, prevent, and eliminate pests comprising rodents and insects in full-service and quick-service restaurants, food and beverage processors, hotels, grocery operations, and other commercial segments, including education, life sciences, and healthcare. The Global Life Sciences segment provides cleaning and contamination control solutions to pharmaceutical and personal care manufacturers. It offers its products under the Ecolab, Kay, Purolite, and Bioquell brand names. The company sells its products through field sales and corporate account personnel, distributors, and dealers. Ecolab Inc. was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Company description, as reported by the company or data provider.
Revenue & earnings trend
FY2021 – FY2025 · reported fiscal years
Ecolab Inc reported revenue of $16.1B in FY2025 versus $12.7B in FY2021, a compound +6.0%/yr. Reported net income was $2.1B in FY2025, compounding +16.4%/yr from FY2021.
of which total revenue +1.6 % · buybacks/dilution +0.6 %
Annual growth per factor. These are factors, not summands: multiplied they give the EPS growth rate, added they do not quite. Start and end points are 3-year averages (details on hover).
ECL screens 190% overvalued. Compare with Linde plc →
Recent news
External third-party headlines (Yahoo Finance, Reuters and others), not an editorial selection.
- Ecolab (ECL) Up 2.4% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Continue?
- Ecolab to Host 2026 Investor Day at SC26 Supercomputing Conference
- Ecolab Stock: Is Wall Street Bullish or Bearish?
- Ecolab's Projected Commodity Cost Increase in H2 Manageable, RBC Capital Markets Says
Peer Group
Specialty Chemicals · 695 stocks
How this stock ranks against its industry: the green marker is this stock, the band is the typical 25–75% peer range, and the tick is the median.
Valuation Multiples vs Specialty Chemicals median · lower = cheaper
Strength profile in five axes (Snowflake)
Five quick dimensions, each 0 to 100: VALUE (fair-value potential), FUTURE (revenue growth), PAST (return on equity), HEALTH (low debt), DIVIDEND (yield). Green = this stock, grey = typical sector peer.
VALUE 0: the price sits above our fair-value range.
Insider activity: 44/100
Values & ESG
Does this company touch areas you may want to avoid? The classification is inferred from sector and industry.
Similar stocks
10 more Specialty Chemicals stocks, each showing price versus our Fair Value estimate (as of Aug 30, 2026).
| Stock | Price | Fair Value | vs Fair Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linde plc LIN | $485.35 | $222.03 | −54% |
| The Sherwin-Williams Company SHW | $344.86 | $143.38 | −58% |
| Air Products and Chemicals, Inc APD | $308.09 | $122.14 | −60% |
| Givaudan SA GIVN | CHF 3,282 | CHF 1,498 | −54% |
| Wanhua Chemical Group 600309 | ¥77.66 | ¥68.03 | −12% |
| 500820 500820 | ₹2,757 | ₹557.43 | −80% |
| Novozymes A/S NSISB | kr 456.40 | kr 169.99 | −63% |
| Asian Paints Limited ASIANPAINT | ₹2,630 | ₹696.23 | −74% |
| PPG Industries, Inc PPG | $114.22 | $71.31 | −38% |
| DSM-Firmenich AG DSFIR | €90.68 | €33.20 | −63% |
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