Ecolab Inc. vs Nomura Holdings Inc — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $277.31 (market cap $78.05B), while Nomura Holdings Inc trades at $10.01 (market cap $28.73B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is far larger — about 2.7× Nomura Holdings Inc's market cap, and Nomura Holdings Inc pays the higher dividend (3.27%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ECL | NMR | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $78.05B | $28.73B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Financials |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $10.04 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $6.73 |
Enterprise Value | $86.84B | — |
Dividend Yield | 1.05% | 3.27% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Ecolab Inc. (ECL) trades at $278.02, down 2.24% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings, beating EPS estimates with $2.09 versus $2.08 expected, driven by 5% organic sales growth. Recent acquisition of CoolIT for $4.75 billion strengthens its AI cooling portfolio. Valuation ratios are elevated, with a P/E of 38.21 and P/S of 4.8, reflecting premium pricing for its consistent profitability and market position.
The outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $327.90, implying 18% upside, supported by 78% analyst buy ratings. Key risks include high valuation sensitivity to earnings misses, as seen in Q1 2026, and rising input costs pressuring margins. Long-term growth is underpinned by digital expansion and high-tech segment strength, but investors should monitor execution on guidance and macroeconomic pressures on industrial demand.
Nomura Holdings (NMR) trades at $9.925, up 1.07% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a neutral stance from oscillators. The company reported strong revenue growth, with 2025 revenue reaching $1.66 trillion and net income of $340.74 billion, yielding a net margin of 20.4%. Recent earnings show a mix of beats and misses, with Q2 2026 EPS beating expectations. Analyst consensus leans toward Hold, with 66.67% of coverage recommending Hold and 33.33% Buy.
The outlook for NMR is supported by robust profitability and valuation metrics like a P/E of 11.59, suggesting potential undervaluation. However, risks include inconsistent cash flow from operations, rising debt-to-asset ratios, and macroeconomic sensitivity. Investors should weigh solid fundamentals against cash flow volatility and debt trends for balanced decision-making.
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 →Nomura is Japan's largest broker, about twice the size of rival Daiwa Securities and roughly three times the size of the securities units of the three megabanks. It is also the largest asset-management company in Japan, with a similar size differential compared with its rivals. Despite its topnotch brand name in retail broking and asset management in Japan, Nomura has struggled to compete effectively in the institutional securities business against larger global rivals. In 2008, Nomura bought European and Asian assets of the failed Lehman Brothers, which led to a sharply higher cost base but did not provide commensurate revenue. Nomura has reduced the scale of these businesses but maintains its ambition to compete globally with the top players.
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