Ecolab Inc. vs Microsoft — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $273.84 (market cap $76.06B), while Microsoft trades at $402.83 (market cap $2.94T). The key difference: Microsoft is far larger — about 38.7× Ecolab Inc.'s market cap, and Ecolab Inc. pays the higher dividend (1.08%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ECL | MSFT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $76.06B | $2.94T |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Technology |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $542.07 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $352.83 |
Enterprise Value | $84.81B | $2.92T |
Dividend Yield | 1.08% | 0.92% |
Volume | — | 36,654,621 |
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.
Microsoft (MSFT) trades at $405.34, up 5.3% in the past 24 hours, with a bullish technical signal and strong fundamentals. The stock has consistently beaten earnings estimates, with Q1 2026 EPS of $4.27 exceeding the $4.06 forecast. Revenue grew to $281.72 billion in 2025, and net income reached $101.83 billion. Analyst sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, with 80.49% recommending Buy and a consensus price target of $547.23.
The outlook for MSFT remains favorable due to robust AI-driven growth in Azure and Copilot, though rising capital expenditures and competitive pressures pose risks. The stock offers upside potential based on earnings momentum and institutional support, but investors should monitor execution on AI investments and macroeconomic conditions affecting tech valuations.
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 →Microsoft Corporation develops, manufactures, licenses, sells, and supports software products. The Company offers operating system software, server application software, business and consumer applications software, software development tools, and Internet and intranet software. Microsoft also develops video game consoles and digital music entertainment devices.
Read more on MSFT →