Ecolab Inc. vs National Beverage Corp. — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $274.31 (market cap $76.06B), while National Beverage Corp. trades at $31.77 (market cap $2.89B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is far larger — about 26.3× National Beverage Corp.'s market cap, and Ecolab Inc. pays a 1.08% dividend while National Beverage Corp. pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ECL | FIZZ | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $76.06B | $2.89B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $47.69 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $30.85 |
Enterprise Value | $84.81B | $2.60B |
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.
FIZZ trades at $31.47, up 1.78% today, but faces bearish technical signals with three consecutive earnings misses. The company maintains solid profitability with 15.56% net margins and 34.03% ROE, though revenue growth has stalled at $1.2B annually. Recent news highlights a $3.25 special dividend announcement but also concerns about LaCroix brand decline and muted growth prospects.
The outlook remains cautious with analyst sentiment skewed bearish (50% sell ratings) and technical indicators pointing downward. While the dividend provides shareholder return, fundamental challenges including competitive pressures and stagnant revenue create headwinds for meaningful price appreciation in the near term.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →National Beverage Corp is one of the top 10 non-alcoholic beverage companies in the U.S. Its portfolio skews toward functional drinks (that is those purporting to offer health benefits) and is anchored by the popular LaCroix sparkling water trademark. Other offerings include Rip It energy drinks, Everfresh juices, and soda brands like Shasta and Faygo. The firm controls most of its production and distribution apparatus, with very little outsourcing. In terms of go-to-market, it uses warehouse distribution for big-box retailers, direct-store-delivery for convenience stores and other small outlets, and food-service distributors for the food-service channel (schools, hospitals, restaurants). It is controlled by chairman and CEO Nick Caporella, who owns over 73% of the common stock.
Read more on FIZZ →