Ecolab Inc. vs Yum China Holdings Inc — how do they compare? Ecolab Inc. trades at $280.61 (market cap $79.79B), while Yum China Holdings Inc trades at $47.82 (market cap $16.28B). The key difference: Ecolab Inc. is far larger — about 4.9× Yum China Holdings Inc's market cap, and Yum China Holdings Inc pays the higher dividend (2.44%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ECL | YUMC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $79.79B | $16.28B |
Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
52-Week High | $308.35 | $57.95 |
52-Week Low | $245.73 | $40.18 |
Enterprise Value | $88.57B | $17.19B |
Dividend Yield | 1.03% | 2.44% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
ECL trades at $281.17, down 1.14% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong institutional interest. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $2.09, beating estimates, and raised full-year guidance to $8.05-$8.25. Revenue growth remains steady at 5% organic, supported by pricing gains and volume increases. Valuation ratios are elevated with a P/E of 38.21, reflecting premium pricing for consistent performance.
Outlook is positive with a consensus price target of $327.90, implying 16.6% upside. Risks include high valuation sensitivity and rising input costs. The stock offers growth potential from digital expansion and recent CoolIT acquisition, but investors should monitor margin pressures and debt levels.
YUMC trades at $47.77, down 0.87% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages and strong fundamental performance. The company reported Q2 2026 EPS of $0.70, beating estimates, and revenue growth of 13% year-over-year. Recent completion of the Pizza Hut brand acquisition in Mainland China for $1.2 billion enhances strategic control and potential margin expansion.
Outlook remains positive with consistent earnings beats and analyst consensus favoring a buy rating. Key risks include macroeconomic headwinds in China and integration challenges from the acquisition. The stock offers growth potential with a reasonable P/E of 17.43 and a projected 26.2% upside based on Wall Street targets.
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 almost 10,600 units and USD 9.5 billion in systemwide sales in 2020, Yum China is the largest restaurant chain in China. It generates revenue through its own restaurants and franchise fees. Key concepts include KFC (7,166 units) and Pizza Hut (2,355), but the company's portfolio also includes other brands such as Little Sheep, East Dawning, Taco Bell, Huang Ji Huang, COFFii & Joy, and Lavazza (collectively representing about 985 units). Yum China is a trademark licensee of Yum Brands, paying 3% of total systemwide sales to the company it separated from in October 2016.
Read more on YUMC →