Ecolab Inc. vs EPAM Systems Inc — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $274.02 (market cap $76.06B), while EPAM Systems Inc trades at $87.51 (market cap $4.49B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is far larger — about 16.9× EPAM Systems Inc's market cap, and Ecolab Inc. pays a 1.08% dividend while EPAM Systems Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ECL | EPAM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $76.06B | $4.49B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Technology |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $221.40 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $76.04 |
Enterprise Value | $84.81B | $3.74B |
Dividend Yield | 1.08% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ECL trades at $269.75, down 0.77% on the day, with a bearish technical signal. The stock shows strong fundamentals with 2025 revenue of $16.08B and net income of $2.08B, though recent quarterly EPS results have been mixed. The company recently completed the $4.75B CoolIT acquisition to strengthen its AI cooling portfolio, positioning high-tech as a growth engine. Analyst consensus remains strongly bullish with a $327.43 price target, representing 21% upside potential from current levels.
The outlook is positive given strong analyst support and strategic acquisitions, but risks include execution of the CoolIT integration, rising cost pressures, and mixed quarterly earnings performance. The stock's premium valuation (P/E 36.57) requires sustained earnings growth to justify current levels, making upcoming Q2 2026 results on July 28 critical for near-term direction.
EPAM Systems trades at $87.22, up 3.22% today, with strong analyst support (65% buy ratings) and a consensus price target of $128.55 suggesting 47% upside. The stock shows attractive valuation metrics with P/E of 12.35 and P/S of 0.86, though technical indicators signal bearish momentum. Recent quarters show consistent earnings beats, with Q1 2026 EPS of $2.86 exceeding expectations by $0.11. The company maintains solid profitability with 6.96% net margin and 10.93% ROE.
EPAM presents a compelling value opportunity with significant upside potential based on analyst targets, though near-term technical weakness and recent index reclassification from S&P 500 to SmallCap 600 create headwinds. The company's AI transformation expertise and strong client partnerships position it for growth, but investors should monitor execution risks and competitive pressures in the IT services sector.
Trailing returns across standard periods
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 →EPAM Systems Inc provides software product development and digital platform engineering services to clients located around the world. The company services include Software Product Development, Custom Application Development, Application Testing, Enterprise Application Platforms, Application Maintenance, and Support and Infrastructure Management. The company focuses on innovative and scalable software solutions. The company uses industry standard and custom developed technology, tools, and platforms to deliver results to handle business challenges. The company primarily offers its solutions in the following industries: financial services, travel and consumer, software and hi-tech, life sciences and healthcare. The majority of revenue is generated from North American clients.
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