Ecolab Inc. vs SYSCO Corporation — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $280.68 (market cap $79.79B), while SYSCO Corporation trades at $84.73 (market cap $40.32B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is the larger of the two by market cap, and SYSCO Corporation pays the higher dividend (2.61%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ECL | SYY | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $79.79B | $40.32B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Staples |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $91.16 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $69.30 |
Enterprise Value | $88.57B | $53.50B |
Dividend Yield | 1.03% | 2.61% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ECL trades at $284.4, down slightly (-0.27%) on the day, with a bullish technical signal and strong analyst support (78% buy ratings). The company reported solid Q2 2026 earnings of $2.09 per share, beating estimates, and raised full-year guidance. Revenue growth is steady, with 2025 revenue at $16.08B, and profitability remains robust with a net income margin of 12.57%. Recent news highlights institutional activity and the completion of the $4.75B CoolIT acquisition, strengthening its high-tech portfolio.
The outlook is positive, driven by earnings momentum, strategic acquisitions, and a consensus price target of $327.90 implying ~15% upside. Key risks include execution of integration for recent acquisitions, input cost pressures, and broader market volatility. The stock presents a compelling opportunity for growth investors seeking exposure to a stable, dividend-paying company with digital and high-tech expansion drivers.
SYY trades at $83.87, down 0.5% for the day, with a neutral technical signal and bullish moving averages. The company reported Q4 2026 EPS of $1.53, beating estimates, and revenue of $81.37B in 2025, with steady growth. Analyst consensus is a Buy with a $88.25 price target, and recent news highlights strong quarterly results and efficiency initiatives.
Outlook is positive due to earnings beats and growth initiatives, but risks include margin pressure and debt levels. The stock offers value with a P/E of 23.02 and P/S of 0.48, supported by institutional optimism, though macroeconomic uncertainty remains a concern.
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 →Sysco is the largest U.S. food-service distributor, boasting 17% market share of the highly fragmented food-service distribution industry. Sysco distributes over 400,000 food and nonfood products to restaurants (63% of revenue), healthcare facilities (8%), education and government buildings (8%), travel and leisure (7%), and other locations (14%) where individuals consume away-from-home meals. In fiscal 2022, 82% of the firm's revenue was U.S.-based, with 7% from Canada, 4% from the U.K., 2% from France, and 4% other.
Read more on SYY →