Chemicals - Specialty · NYSE
Current Price
$256.61
Intrinsic Value
Use the calculator below to estimate
Run a PE ratio stock valuation on Ecolab Inc. with auto-filled earnings data, adjustable target PE, and instant fair value estimate.
Ecolab Inc. provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Global Industrial, Global Institutional & Specialty, and Global Healthcare & Life Sciences segments. The Global Industrial segment offers water treatment and process applications, and cleaning and sanitizing solutions to manufacturing, food and beverage processing, transportation, chemical, metals and mining, power generation, pulp and paper, commercial laundry, petroleum, refining, and petrochemical industries. The Global Institutional & Specialty segment provides specialized cleaning and sanitizing products to the foodservice, hospitality, lodging, government and education, and retail industries. Its Global Healthcare & Life Sciences segment offers specialized cleaning and sanitizing products to the healthcare, personal care, and pharmaceutical industries, such as infection prevention and surgical solutions, and end-to-end cleaning and contamination control solutions under the Ecolab, Microtek, and Anios brand names. The company's Other segment offers pest elimination services to detect, eliminate, and prevent pests, such as rodents and insects in restaurants, food and beverage processors, educational and healthcare facilities, hotels, quick service restaurant and grocery operations, and other institutional and commercial customers. This segment also provides colloidal silica for binding and polishing applications in semiconductor, catalyst, and aerospace component manufacturing, as well as chemical industries; and products and services that manage wash process through custom designed programs, premium products, dispensing equipment, water and energy management, and reduction, as well as real time data management. It sells its products through field sales and corporate account personnel, distributors, and dealers. The company was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Earnings Yield
2.91%
ROE (TTM)
21.7%
Based on trailing twelve-month data, ECL has earnings per share of N/A and trades at a PE ratio of N/A. These are key inputs for stock valuation using the PE ratio method.
The trailing twelve-month PE ratio of ECL reflects how much investors pay per dollar of Ecolab Inc.'s earnings. This metric is most useful when compared to Chemicals - Specialty peers and the company's own historical range.
Whether ECL is overvalued depends on comparing its PE ratio to Chemicals - Specialty peers, historical averages, and growth expectations. A PE above the sector average may indicate overvaluation, but high-growth companies often command premium multiples. Consider pairing PE analysis with a DCF model for a more complete picture.
To value Ecolab Inc. using PE: (1) Compare the current PE against the Chemicals - Specialty median to assess relative pricing, (2) check the PEG ratio to adjust for growth expectations, (3) review the 5-year PE range to identify where the stock sits historically, and (4) estimate fair value by multiplying a target PE by forward EPS estimates. This relative approach complements DCF's absolute valuation.
The PEG ratio divides the PE ratio by the expected earnings growth rate, providing a growth-adjusted valuation metric. A PEG below 1.0 may indicate undervaluation relative to growth, while above 2.0 may suggest overvaluation. PEG is most reliable for companies with stable, predictable earnings growth.
PE ratio gives a quick relative read — how ECL is priced versus Chemicals - Specialty peers. DCF provides an absolute value based on projected free cash flows. For ECL, with a strong ROE of 21.7%, both methods are worth using — PE for a market-relative check, DCF to stress-test whether fundamentals justify the price. Each method has blind spots: PE ignores capital structure and cash flow quality, while DCF is sensitive to growth and discount rate assumptions.