Ecolab Inc. vs IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $273.88 (market cap $76.06B), while IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. trades at $576.42 (market cap $43.94B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and Ecolab Inc. pays a 1.08% dividend while IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ECL | IDXX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $76.06B | $43.94B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Health |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $766.68 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $514.61 |
Enterprise Value | $84.81B | $44.84B |
Dividend Yield | 1.08% | — |
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.
IDXX trades at $572.38, up 5.86% over 24 hours, with a neutral technical signal and strong fundamentals. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $3.47, beating estimates, and maintains robust profitability with a 24.63% net margin. Revenue growth accelerated to $4.3 billion in 2025, supported by innovation in veterinary diagnostics and AI integration. Cash flow from operations remains healthy at $1.18 billion, though net cash flow was negative $108 million due to financing activities.
Outlook is positive given consistent earnings beats and analyst consensus leaning buy (59% of ratings). Key risks include high valuation multiples (P/E 40.99) and competitive pressures in medical devices. The stock's proximity to its 52-week high suggests momentum but warrants caution on pullbacks. Institutional sentiment is bolstered by product expansions like taeniid tapeworm detection and SDMA integration for kidney disease screening.
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 →Idexx Laboratories primarily develops, manufactures, and distributes diagnostic products, equipment, and services for pets and livestock. Its key product lines include single-use canine and feline test kits that veterinarians can employ in the office, benchtop chemistry and hematology analyzers for test-panel analysis on-site, reference lab services, and tests to detect and manage disease in livestock. The firm also offers vet practice management software and consulting services to animal hospitals. Idexx gets about 38% of its revenue from outside the United States.
Read more on IDXX →