Ecolab Inc. vs Lamb Weston Holdings Inc — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $281.74 (market cap $78.97B), while Lamb Weston Holdings Inc trades at $49 (market cap $6.81B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is far larger — about 11.6× Lamb Weston Holdings Inc's market cap, and Lamb Weston Holdings Inc pays the higher dividend (3.07%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Ecolab Inc. for 90 Days and Lamb Weston Holdings Inc for 66 Days on average.
| ECL | LW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $78.97B | $6.81B |
Volume | 974,947 | 4,638,686 |
Sector | Basic Materials | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $66.57 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $38.48 |
Typical Hold Time | 90 Days | 66 Days |
Enterprise Value | $87.75B | $10.61B |
Dividend Yield | 1.04% | 3.07% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ECL trades at $278.10, down 0.97% on the day, with strong analyst support (78% buy ratings) and a $326.38 consensus price target suggesting 17% upside. The stock shows bullish technical signals with support at $275 and resistance at $279. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations with 9.7% sales growth, while the company maintains dividend aristocrat status with consistent payout increases.
ECL presents a compelling growth story with expanding high-tech and digital segments, though elevated valuation multiples (P/E 37.81) and rising debt from the CoolIT acquisition warrant caution. The essential nature of its hygiene and water management services provides defensive characteristics, while upcoming Q3 earnings on October 27 will be critical for validating growth trajectory.
Lamb Weston (LW) trades at $48.09, up 0.38% on the day, with a bullish technical signal and consistent earnings beats in recent quarters. The stock shows strong profitability with a 14.17% ROE and trades at a P/E of 27.03. Recent news highlights cost savings exceeding $100 million and analyst anticipation for upcoming Q1 earnings. The consensus price target is $53.71, suggesting potential upside from current levels.
The outlook is cautiously optimistic, supported by earnings momentum and operational improvements, but risks include margin pressure from rising costs and a high debt load. Investor sentiment is mixed amid legal scrutiny and institutional selling, requiring careful monitoring of execution against guidance.
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 →Lamb Weston is the world's second-largest producer of branded and private-label frozen potato products, such as French fries, sweet potato fries, tater tots, diced potatoes, mashed potatoes, hash browns, and chips. The company also has a small appetizer business that produces onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and cheese curds. Including joint ventures, 63% of fiscal 2022 revenue was U.S.-based, with the remainder stemming from Europe, Canada, Japan, China, Korea, Mexico, and several other countries. Lamb Weston's customer mix is estimated 58% quick-serve restaurants, 19% full-service restaurants, 8% other food services (hotels, commercial cafeterias, arenas, schools), and 16% retail. Lamb Weston became an independent company in 2016 when it was spun off from Conagra.
Read more on LW →