Ecolab Inc. vs Ross Stores, Inc. — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $274.17 (market cap $76.06B), while Ross Stores, Inc. trades at $232.77 (market cap $72.47B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. and Ross Stores, Inc. are close in size by market cap, and Ecolab Inc. pays the higher dividend (1.08%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ECL | ROST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $76.06B | $72.47B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $240.13 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $129.10 |
Enterprise Value | $84.81B | $73.07B |
Dividend Yield | 1.08% | 0.79% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ECL trades at $269.75, down 0.77% on the day, with a bearish technical signal. The stock shows strong fundamentals with 2025 revenue of $16.08B and net income of $2.08B, though recent quarterly EPS results have been mixed. The company recently completed the $4.75B CoolIT acquisition to strengthen its AI cooling portfolio, positioning high-tech as a growth engine. Analyst consensus remains strongly bullish with a $327.43 price target, representing 21% upside potential from current levels.
The outlook is positive given strong analyst support and strategic acquisitions, but risks include execution of the CoolIT integration, rising cost pressures, and mixed quarterly earnings performance. The stock's premium valuation (P/E 36.57) requires sustained earnings growth to justify current levels, making upcoming Q2 2026 results on July 28 critical for near-term direction.
Ross Stores (ROST) trades at $220.90, up 0.66% with a bullish technical signal. The company demonstrates strong fundamentals with consistent earnings beats, revenue growth to $21.13B in 2025, and robust profitability metrics including 9.74% net margin and 38.98% ROE. Recent analyst upgrades highlight growing optimism about the company's growth trajectory and operational efficiency improvements.
The outlook remains positive with analyst consensus price target of $259 (17.3% upside), though valuation multiples appear elevated (P/E 31.55, P/B 11.49). Key risks include competitive retail pressures and execution challenges in maintaining margin expansion amid economic uncertainty. The stock's proximity to recent highs suggests near-term consolidation may precede further gains.
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 →Ross Stores is a leading American off-price apparel and home fashion retailer, operating over 1,920 stores (at the end of fiscal 2021) across the Ross Dress for Less and dd's Discounts banners. Ross offers a variety of name-brand products and targets undercutting conventional retailers' regular prices by 20%-70%. The company uses an opportunistic, flexible merchandising approach
Read more on ROST →