Ecolab Inc. vs Smith & Nephew plc — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $281.36 (market cap $77.96B), while Smith & Nephew plc trades at $26.9 (market cap $11.31B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is far larger — about 6.9× Smith & Nephew plc's market cap, and Smith & Nephew plc pays the higher dividend (2.95%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Ecolab Inc. for 90 Days and Smith & Nephew plc for 120 Days on average.
| ECL | SNN | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $77.96B | $11.31B |
Volume | 1,145,536 | 1,050,005 |
Sector | Basic Materials | Health |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $37.17 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $26.42 |
Typical Hold Time | 90 Days | 120 Days |
Enterprise Value | $86.74B | $14.35B |
Dividend Yield | 1.05% | 2.95% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Ecolab (ECL) trades at $281.69, up 0.31% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and a consensus analyst price target of $326.38. The company reported revenue of $16.08B in 2025 with a net income margin of 12.57%, and recent earnings have mostly met or exceeded expectations. Strong institutional buying and insider purchases, alongside positive news coverage highlighting its dividend growth and essential business model, support a constructive outlook.
The stock presents a favorable risk-reward profile given its steady revenue growth, high profitability, and analyst optimism, though elevated valuation ratios and increased debt from the CoolIT acquisition pose risks. The upcoming Q3 2026 earnings report on October 27, 2026, will be a key catalyst for near-term price direction.
SNN trades at $26.96, near its 52-week low, with a bearish technical signal. The company has shown improving fundamentals, with revenue growing from $5.2B in 2022 to $6.16B in 2025 and net income margin expanding to 10.08%. Recent product launches, like the EVOS PELVIC System, highlight innovation, but the stock faces negative sentiment from analyst downgrades and CFO departure news.
The outlook is mixed: strong profitability and cash flow support value, but bearish technicals and cautious analyst consensus (26% buy, 65% hold) suggest limited near-term upside. Key risks include execution challenges and competitive pressures. Investors should weigh solid fundamentals against weak market sentiment.
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 →Smith & Nephew designs, manufactures, and markets orthopedic devices, sports medicine and arthroscopic technologies, and wound-care solutions. Roughly 42% of the U.K.-based firm's revenue comes from orthopedic products, and another 30% is sports medicine and ENT. The remaining 28% of revenue is from the advanced wound therapy segment. Roughly half of Smith & Nephew's total revenue comes from the United States, just over 30% is from other developed markets, and emerging markets account for the remainder.
Read more on SNN →