Ecolab Inc. vs Freeport-McMoRan Inc — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $269.51 (market cap $76.06B), while Freeport-McMoRan Inc trades at $60.93 (market cap $87.65B). The key difference: Freeport-McMoRan Inc is the larger of the two by market cap, and Ecolab Inc. pays the higher dividend (1.08%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ECL | FCX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $76.06B | $87.65B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $71.73 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $35.34 |
Enterprise Value | $84.81B | $94.31B |
Dividend Yield | 1.08% | 0.98% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ECL trades at $273.62, up 1.43% with a bearish technical signal despite strong analyst support. The company shows solid fundamentals with $16.08B revenue, 12.8% net margin, and 22.31% ROE. Recent Q1 2026 earnings met expectations while Q2 2026 results are pending. The $4.75B CoolIT acquisition strengthens AI cooling capabilities, positioning for long-term growth in high-tech markets.
ECL presents a compelling growth story with improving profitability and strategic acquisitions, though current valuation multiples appear elevated. Key risks include execution of recent acquisitions and rising cost pressures. With 76% analyst buy ratings and a $327.43 consensus target suggesting 20% upside, the stock offers potential for patient investors despite near-term technical weakness.
FCX trades at $58.30, down 5.92% over 24 hours, with a neutral technical signal and bearish moving averages. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates, with Q2 2026 expected EPS of $0.60. Revenue grew to $25.92B in 2025, with net income of $2.20B and a net margin of 10.34%. The company maintains strong cash flow from operations of $5.61B and a dividend of $0.15 per share payable in August 2026.
FCX presents a favorable outlook with robust earnings performance and analyst consensus pointing to a $72.94 price target, implying significant upside. However, risks include commodity price volatility, high capital expenditures, and debt levels. The stock's current valuation at a P/E of 32.26 may limit near-term gains if growth moderates.
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 →Freeport-McMoRan Inc is an international mining company. It operates geographically diverse assets with proven and probable mineral reserves of copper, gold and molybdenum. The company's portfolio of assets includes the Grasberg minerals district in Indonesia
Read more on FCX →