Compare Ecolab Inc. (ECL) vs Boston Beer Company Inc (SAM) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Ecolab Inc. vs Boston Beer Company Inc — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $273.88 (market cap $76.06B), while Boston Beer Company Inc trades at $181.02 (market cap $1.77B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is far larger — about 43× Boston Beer Company Inc's market cap, and Ecolab Inc. pays a 1.08% dividend while Boston Beer Company Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ECL | SAM | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $76.06B | $1.77B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $260.05 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $161.08 |
Enterprise Value | $84.81B | $1.64B |
Dividend Yield | 1.08% | — |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
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.
SAM trades at $179.3, up 6.25% over 24 hours, with a bearish technical signal but oversold short-term RSI. Recent earnings show mixed results, beating in Q3 and Q4 2025 but missing in Q1 2026. The company maintains strong operating cash flow of $270.16M in 2025, though net income margin turned negative in 2026. Analyst consensus is a hold-heavy stance with a $213.50 price target, indicating cautious optimism amid brand investments and volume pressures.
Outlook is mixed; growth drivers include innovation in Beyond Beer and cost initiatives, but risks from volume declines and competitive pressure persist. The stock offers potential upside to the consensus target, yet investors face headwinds from profitability challenges and bearish technical trends.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About Ecolab Inc.
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 →About Boston Beer Company Inc
Boston Beer is a leader in U.S. high-end malt beverages and adjacent categories, with strong positions in craft beer, hard cider, and hard seltzer. The firm sells an array of flavor variants and package sizes, predominantly centered around four priority brands: Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard, Twisted Tea, and Truly Hard Seltzer. Its drinks are produced in both company-owned breweries as well as through third-party contract arrangements, and while the company primarily goes to market through independent wholesalers (as mandated by law), it operates a fairly large salesforce to induce demand across the value chain (distributors, retailers, and drinkers). The preponderance of revenue is generated domestically.
Read more on SAM →
