Ecolab Inc. vs Linde PLC — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $273.17 (market cap $76.06B), while Linde PLC trades at $516.95 (market cap $237.72B). The key difference: Linde PLC is far larger — about 3.1× Ecolab Inc.'s market cap, and Linde PLC pays the higher dividend (1.24%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ECL | LIN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $76.06B | $237.72B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Basic Materials |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $546.64 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $389.38 |
Enterprise Value | $84.81B | $260.07B |
Dividend Yield | 1.08% | 1.24% |
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.
Linde (LIN) trades at $522.54, down 0.29% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and oversold RSI suggesting potential rebound. The company demonstrates strong fundamentals with consistent earnings beats, including Q1 2026 EPS of $4.33 (beat), and robust profitability with a 20.44% net margin. Recent news highlights sustainability leadership and Q1 results showing 10% EPS growth.
Outlook remains positive given analyst consensus (85.7% buy ratings) and a $560 price target, though high valuation multiples (P/E 34.65) pose a risk if growth moderates. Key risks include rising debt-to-asset ratio (31.63% in 2025) and macroeconomic pressures on industrial demand.
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 →Linde is the largest industrial gas supplier in the world, with operations in over 100 countries. The firm's main products are atmospheric gases (including oxygen, nitrogen, and argon) and process gases (including hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and helium), as well as equipment used in industrial gas production. Linde serves a wide variety of end markets, including chemicals, manufacturing, healthcare, and steelmaking. Linde generated approximately $31 billion in revenue and $5 billion in GAAP operating profit in 2021.
Read more on LIN →