Compare Agilent Technologies Inc (A) vs Ecolab Inc. (ECL) Price & Performance
Price performance
Price movement over the last 24 hours
Key statistics
Key statistics
Agilent Technologies Inc vs Ecolab Inc. — how do they compare? Agilent Technologies Inc trades at $128.83 (market cap $37.04B), while Ecolab Inc. trades at $275.94 (market cap $79.67B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is far larger — about 2.2× Agilent Technologies Inc's market cap, and Ecolab Inc. pays the higher dividend (1.03%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| A | ECL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $37.04B | $79.67B |
Sector | Health | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $157.20 | $308.35 |
52-Week Low | $110.24 | $245.73 |
Enterprise Value | $38.59B | $88.42B |
Dividend Yield | 0.78% | 1.03% |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Agilent Technologies (A) trades at $131.14, up 0.34% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong analyst support. The stock shows solid profitability with a net margin of 19.55% and ROE of 21.33%, supported by recent earnings beats. Recent acquisitions like Biocare Medical highlight growth initiatives, while cash flow trends remain positive. Valuation ratios such as P/E of 26.22 are elevated but align with quality growth expectations.
The outlook is positive given analyst consensus with a $154.90 price target and 77.5% buy ratings. Risks include execution of acquisitions and macroeconomic pressures on life sciences spending. The stock offers growth potential from AI-driven product launches, though technical resistance near $132 may cap near-term gains.
ECL trades at $283.08, down 0.1% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $1.70, meeting expectations, and maintains strong profitability with a net income margin of 12.8%. Recent acquisition of CoolIT for $4.75B enhances its AI cooling portfolio, positioning for long-term growth. Cash flow from operations remains robust at $3.0B in 2025, though net cash flow turned negative due to significant investing activities.
Outlook is positive with 73% analyst buy ratings and a consensus price target of $326.17, implying 15% upside. Risks include rising costs and integration challenges from acquisitions. The stock's high P/E of 38.39 suggests premium valuation, requiring sustained earnings growth to justify current levels.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
About Agilent Technologies Inc
Originally spun out of Hewlett-Packard in 1999, Agilent has evolved into a leading life sciences and diagnostics firm. Today, Agilent's measurement technologies serve a broad base of customers with its three operating segments: life science and applied tools (45% of fiscal 2021 sales), cross lab (35% of sales consisting of consumables and services related to its life science and applied tools), and diagnostics and genomics (20%). Over half of its sales are generated from the biopharmaceutical, chemical, and energy end markets, but it also supports clinical lab, environmental, forensics, food, academic, and government-related organizations. The company is geographically diverse, with operations in the U.S. (34%) and China (20%) representing the largest country concentrations.
Read more on A →About Ecolab Inc.
Ecolab produces and markets cleaning and sanitation products for the hospitality, healthcare, and industrial markets. The firm is the global market share leader in this category with a wide array of products and services, including dish and laundry washing systems, pest control, and infection control products. The company has a strong hold on the U.S. market and is looking to increase its profitability abroad. Additionally, Ecolab serves customers in water, manufacturing, and life sciences end markets, selling customized solutions.
Read more on ECL →
