Ecolab Inc. vs Ulta Beauty Inc — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $282.14 (market cap $78.97B), while Ulta Beauty Inc trades at $567.07 (market cap $24.12B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is far larger — about 3.3× Ulta Beauty Inc's market cap, and Ecolab Inc. pays a 1.04% dividend while Ulta Beauty Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Ecolab Inc. for 90 Days and Ulta Beauty Inc for 92 Days on average.
| ECL | ULTA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $78.97B | $24.12B |
Volume | 974,947 | 457,598 |
Sector | Basic Materials | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $706.82 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $450.75 |
Typical Hold Time | 90 Days | 92 Days |
Enterprise Value | $87.75B | $26.43B |
Dividend Yield | 1.04% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ECL trades at $278.10, down 0.97% on the day, with strong analyst support (78% buy ratings) and a $326.38 consensus price target suggesting 17% upside. The stock shows bullish technical signals with support at $275 and resistance at $279. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat expectations with 9.7% sales growth, while the company maintains dividend aristocrat status with consistent payout increases.
ECL presents a compelling growth story with expanding high-tech and digital segments, though elevated valuation multiples (P/E 37.81) and rising debt from the CoolIT acquisition warrant caution. The essential nature of its hygiene and water management services provides defensive characteristics, while upcoming Q3 earnings on October 27 will be critical for validating growth trajectory.
ULTA Beauty trades at $545.48, down 0.33% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages. The company reported strong Q2 2026 earnings beat and raised 2026 guidance, though Q4 2025 missed expectations. Valuation metrics show a P/E of 20.55 and P/S of 1.92, with robust profitability including 46.12% ROE. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 59.57% buy ratings and a $624.93 price target, representing 14.6% upside potential.
ULTA presents a compelling growth story with e-commerce momentum and expansion into wellness categories, though margin compression and flat traffic pose near-term challenges. The stock offers attractive upside to analyst targets but faces execution risks amid consumer spending pressures. Institutional ownership remains strong with recent buying activity from major funds.
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 →With more than 1,300 stores and a partnership with Target, Ulta Beauty is the largest specialized beauty retailer in the U.S. The firm offers makeup (43% of 2021 sales), fragrances, skin care, and hair care products (20% of 2021 sales), and bath and body items. Ulta offers private-label products and merchandise from more than 500 vendors. It also offers salon services, including hair, makeup, skin, and brow services, in all stores. Most Ulta stores are approximately 10,000 square feet and are in suburban strip centers. Ulta was founded in 1990 and is based in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
Read more on ULTA →