Tearsheet

Investment Highlights Why It Matters Which of these 2 stories sounds closer for this stock?

1. Generates cash flow

The stock generated 4% or more of the share price (called cash flow yield), and shows moderate 10-15% or more growth.

2. Riding a trend

Think Tesla during the pandemic of 2020 when EVs were riding a cultural high, or Nvidia in the current AI boom, or even Figma. These companies don’t have enough yield, or, enough growth, or both - however - they are riding a trend. They have momentum. These can be more volatile - they don’t have the floor of strong cash flow


0 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Water Infrastructure, Sustainable Resource Management, Advanced Materials, Smart Buildings & Proptech, Show more.
 
0 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Water Infrastructure, Sustainable Resource Management, Advanced Materials, Smart Buildings & Proptech, Show more.

Valuation, Metrics & Events

ECL Stock


Why The Stock Moved


Qualitative Assessment

AI Generated Analysis | Feedback

1. Ecolab reported a significant year-over-year decline in earnings per share for the third quarter of 2025. The company posted $2.07 earnings per share for the quarter, which met analysts' consensus estimates, but was a decrease compared to $2.57 in the same quarter of the previous year.

2. The CEO of Ecolab, Christophe Beck, executed a substantial insider sale of company stock. On November 12, 2025, Beck sold 21,714 shares for a total value of $5,676,256.74, which could signal a lack of confidence and contribute to negative market sentiment.

Show more

Stock Movement Drivers

Return vs. Risk


Price Returns Compared

 202020212022202320242025Total [1]
Returns
ECL Return13%9%-37%38%19%16%49%
Peers Return18%26%-18%16%9%9%69%
S&P 500 Return16%27%-19%24%23%16%112%

Monthly Win Rates [3]
ECL Win Rate50%58%25%67%58%50% 
Peers Win Rate45%53%28%47%48%36% 
S&P 500 Win Rate58%75%42%67%75%70% 

Max Drawdowns [4]
ECL Max Drawdown-35%-5%-43%-1%-2%-3% 
Peers Max Drawdown-33%-7%-29%-12%-5%-8% 
S&P 500 Max Drawdown-31%-1%-25%-1%-2%-15% 


[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2020
[2] Peers: SHW, CTAS, SEE, VRDE, ECL. See ECL Returns vs. Peers.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2025 data is for the year up to 12/3/2025 (YTD)

How Low Can It Go

Unique KeyEventECLS&P 500
2022 Inflation Shock2022 Inflation Shock  
2022 Inflation Shock% Loss% Loss-44.3%-25.4%
2022 Inflation Shock% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven79.4%34.1%
2022 Inflation ShockTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven580 days464 days
2020 Covid Pandemic2020 Covid Pandemic  
2020 Covid Pandemic% Loss% Loss-40.5%-33.9%
2020 Covid Pandemic% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven68.0%51.3%
2020 Covid PandemicTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven66 days148 days
2018 Correction2018 Correction  
2018 Correction% Loss% Loss-14.1%-19.8%
2018 Correction% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven16.4%24.7%
2018 CorrectionTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven50 days120 days
2008 Global Financial Crisis2008 Global Financial Crisis  
2008 Global Financial Crisis% Loss% Loss-42.9%-56.8%
2008 Global Financial Crisis% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven75.2%131.3%
2008 Global Financial CrisisTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven583 days1480 days

Compare to SHW, CTAS, SEE, VRDE, ECL


In The Past

Ecolab's stock fell -44.3% during the 2022 Inflation Shock from a high on 12/29/2021. A -44.3% loss requires a 79.4% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth over time.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

About Ecolab (ECL)

Latest Trefis Analyses

Trade Ideas

Select past ideas related to ECL. For more, see Trefis Trade Ideas.

Unique KeyDateTickerCompanyCategoryTrade Strategy6M Fwd Rtn12M Fwd Rtn12M Max DD
DD_11212025_Dip_Buyer_High_FCF_Yield_ExInd_DE_RevG11212025DDDuPont de NemoursDip BuyDB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow Yield
Buying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap
3.1%3.1%-0.2%
CF_11212025_Monopoly_xInd_xCD_Getting_Cheaper11212025CFCF IndustriesMonopolyMY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S Decline
Large cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple
0.5%0.5%-1.1%
HL_11212025_Quality_Momentum_RoomToRun_10%11212025HLHecla MiningQualityQ | Momentum | UpsideQuality Stocks with Momentum and Upside
Buying quality stocks with strong momentum but still having room to run
30.9%30.9%0.0%
CDE_11072025_Dip_Buyer_ValueBuy11072025CDECoeur MiningDip BuyDB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin
12.7%12.7%-5.7%
ATR_10312025_Dip_Buyer_ValueBuy10312025ATRAptarGroupDip BuyDB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin
4.8%4.8%-2.5%
Unique KeyDateTickerCompanyCategoryTrade Strategy6M Fwd Rtn12M Fwd Rtn12M Max DD
DD_11212025_Dip_Buyer_High_FCF_Yield_ExInd_DE_RevG11212025DDDuPont de NemoursDip BuyDB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow Yield
Buying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap
3.1%3.1%-0.2%
CF_11212025_Monopoly_xInd_xCD_Getting_Cheaper11212025CFCF IndustriesMonopolyMY | Getting CheaperMonopoly-Like with P/S Decline
Large cap with monopoly-like margins or cash flow generation and getting cheaper based on P/S multiple
0.5%0.5%-1.1%
HL_11212025_Quality_Momentum_RoomToRun_10%11212025HLHecla MiningQualityQ | Momentum | UpsideQuality Stocks with Momentum and Upside
Buying quality stocks with strong momentum but still having room to run
30.9%30.9%0.0%
CDE_11072025_Dip_Buyer_ValueBuy11072025CDECoeur MiningDip BuyDB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin
12.7%12.7%-5.7%
ATR_10312025_Dip_Buyer_ValueBuy10312025ATRAptarGroupDip BuyDB | P/E OPMDip Buy with Low PE and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with tame PE and meaningfully high operating margin
4.8%4.8%-2.5%

Recent Active Movers

Recent Active Movers

More From Trefis

Peer Comparisons for Ecolab

Peers to compare with:

Financials

ECLSHWCTASSEEVRDEMedian
NameEcolab Sherwin-.Cintas Sealed A.Verde Bi. 
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Op Inc LTM------
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Growth & Margins

ECLSHWCTASSEEVRDEMedian
NameEcolab Sherwin-.Cintas Sealed A.Verde Bi. 
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Valuation

ECLSHWCTASSEEVRDEMedian
NameEcolab Sherwin-.Cintas Sealed A.Verde Bi. 
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Returns

ECLSHWCTASSEEVRDEMedian
NameEcolab Sherwin-.Cintas Sealed A.Verde Bi. 
1M Rtn------
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Financials

Segment Financials

Revenue by Segment

$ Mil20242023202220212020
Global Industrial7,6406,7366,0876,0485,995
Global Institutional & Specialty5,0154,4143,9093,6294,412
Global Life Sciences1,6081,5061,1501,241979
Global Pest Elimination1,070    
Corporate43124137101 
Other01,3131,2011,1031,212
Effect of foreign currency translation-5594250-332-35
Total15,32014,18812,73311,79012,562


Operating Income by Segment
$ Mil20242023202220212020
Global Industrial1,1229369861,123903
Global Institutional & Specialty842622546324940
Global Pest Elimination210    
Global Life Sciences161193152218124
Other0210184133167
Effect of foreign currency translation-101648-53-9
Corporate-333-414-317-350-280
Total1,9921,5621,5991,3961,845


Price Behavior

Short Interest

Short Interest: As Of Date11142025
Short Interest: Shares Quantity2,788,517
Short Interest: % Change Since 10312025-0.2%
Average Daily Volume1,406,706
Days-to-Cover Short Interest1.98
Basic Shares Quantity283,500,000
Short % of Basic Shares1.0%

SEC Filings

Expand for More

Report DateFiling DateFiling
93020251030202510-Q 9/30/2025
6302025807202510-Q 6/30/2025
3312025508202510-Q 3/31/2025
12312024221202510-K 12/31/2024
93020241031202410-Q 9/30/2024
6302024802202410-Q 6/30/2024
3312024502202410-Q 3/31/2024
12312023223202410-K 12/31/2023
93020231102202310-Q 9/30/2023
6302023803202310-Q 6/30/2023
3312023504202310-Q 3/31/2023
12312022224202310-K 12/31/2022
93020221104202210-Q 9/30/2022
6302022804202210-Q 6/30/2022
3312022505202210-Q 3/31/2022
12312021225202210-K 12/31/2021