Ecolab Inc. vs Lamb Weston Holdings Inc — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $273.84 (market cap $76.06B), while Lamb Weston Holdings Inc trades at $47.25 (market cap $6.29B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is far larger — about 12.1× Lamb Weston Holdings Inc's market cap, and Lamb Weston Holdings Inc pays the higher dividend (3.34%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ECL | LW | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $76.06B | $6.29B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $66.57 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $38.48 |
Enterprise Value | $84.81B | $10.25B |
Dividend Yield | 1.08% | 3.34% |
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.
Lamb Weston (LW) trades at $46.74, up 0.52% today, near the analyst consensus price target of $49.33. The stock shows a neutral technical stance with support at $45 and resistance at $47. Recent quarters have consistently beaten EPS estimates, with Q2 2026 results expected soon. Revenue remains stable at $6.45B in 2025, though net income declined to $357M. The company's 'Focus to Win' strategy is gaining traction, supported by cost savings and volume growth in North America.
Outlook is cautiously optimistic with potential upside to price targets, but risks include margin pressure, a pending class action lawsuit, and high debt levels. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 35% buy ratings. Earnings on July 24, 2026, will be critical for confirming the turnaround narrative.
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 →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 →