Applied Digital Corporation vs Ecolab Inc. — how do they compare? Applied Digital Corporation trades at $29.66 (market cap $8.37B), while Ecolab Inc. trades at $284.79 (market cap $79.73B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is far larger — about 9.5× Applied Digital Corporation's market cap, and Ecolab Inc. pays a 1.03% dividend while Applied Digital Corporation pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| APLD | ECL | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $8.37B | $79.73B |
Sector | Technology | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $49.65 | $308.35 |
52-Week Low | $13.89 | $245.73 |
Enterprise Value | $11.87B | $88.51B |
Dividend Yield | — | 1.03% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Applied Digital (APLD) trades at $29.22, up 1.25% with bearish technical signals despite unanimous analyst buy ratings. The company shows explosive revenue growth with Q4 2026 revenue surging 407% to $258.7M but continues posting significant losses with negative profit margins. Recent news highlights $36 billion in contracted AI infrastructure revenue and insider selling activity.
While analyst consensus targets $72.36 (147% upside), the stock faces execution risks from massive capital expenditures, negative cash flow, and challenging profitability metrics. The AI infrastructure build-out offers substantial growth potential but requires careful monitoring of financing needs and construction timelines.
ECL trades at $285.17, up 0.6% today, with a bullish technical signal and strong analyst support. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $2.09, beating estimates, and raised full-year guidance. Revenue growth remains steady, with a net income margin of 12.57% and robust cash flow from operations of $2.95B in 2025. Recent news highlights dividend declarations and institutional buying interest.
Outlook is positive with a consensus price target of $327.90, implying 15% upside. Risks include elevated valuation multiples and potential margin pressure from input costs. The stock's momentum is supported by earnings beats and strategic acquisitions, but investors should monitor debt levels and competitive dynamics in the water and hygiene sector.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Applied Digital provides high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure and cloud services. It designs and operates data centers tailored for AI, machine learning, and other intensive digital workloads across North America.
Read more on APLD →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 →