BHP vs. ECL: BHP vs. Ecolab Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL) both fall under the Materials industry group, but BHP is classified in Metals & Mining while ECL is classified in Chemicals.

Ecolab (ECL) trades as ordinary local shares, while BHP (BHP) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL)
Profile Item	BHP	ECL
Name	BHP Group Ltd. Sponsored ADR	Ecolab Inc.
Country/Region	Australia	United States
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry Group	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Metals & Mining	Chemicals
GICS Sub-Industry	Diversified Metals & Mining	Specialty Chemicals
Market Capitalization	203.04 billion USD	84.33 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	March 17, 1980	February 21, 1973
Security Type	ADR	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BHP

ECL

GSPC

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL)
Metric	BHP	ECL
Total Return (1Y)	55.75%	20.33%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	17.27%	21.41%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	18.05%	6.90%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BHP

ECL

GSPC

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL)
Metric	BHP	ECL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	34.60%	21.72%
Beta (5Y)	0.77	0.84
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-37.21%	-43.70%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.84M	1.40M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

BHP and ECL are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL)
Metric	BHP	ECL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.49	0.74
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	2.22	1.13

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both BHP (BHP) at 24.00% and Ecolab (ECL) at 20.77% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

BHP

Materials industry group

24.00%

Max: 52.88%
BHP: 24.00%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 8.76%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

ECL

Materials industry group

20.77%

Max: 52.88%
ECL: 20.77%
Q3: 19.49%
Median: 8.76%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

BHP (BHP) at 16.73% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Ecolab (ECL) at 11.99%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

BHP

Materials industry group

16.73%

Max: 38.66%
BHP: 16.73%
Q3: 15.98%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

ECL

Materials industry group

11.99%

Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
ECL: 11.99%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

BHP (BHP) at 43.34% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Ecolab (ECL) at 19.22%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

BHP

Materials industry group

43.34%

Max: 66.70%
BHP: 43.34%
Q3: 28.92%
Median: 12.56%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

ECL

Materials industry group

19.22%

Max: 66.70%
Q3: 28.92%
ECL: 19.22%
Median: 12.56%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL)
Metric	BHP	ECL
ROE (TTM)	24.00%	20.77%
ROA (TTM)	13.43%	7.29%
Net Margin (TTM)	16.73%	11.99%
Operating Margin (TTM)	43.34%	19.22%
Gross Margin (TTM)	85.92%	44.04%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both BHP (BHP) at 14.63% and Ecolab (ECL) at 2.16% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both BHP (BHP) at 8.91% and Ecolab (ECL) at -1.22% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL)
Metric	BHP	ECL
Revenue Growth (YoY)	14.63%	2.16%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	2.97%	4.26%
EPS Growth (YoY)	8.91%	-1.22%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-8.80%	24.09%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

BHP (BHP) at 1.89 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Ecolab (ECL) at 1.11 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for ECL.

BHP

Materials industry group

1.89

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
Median: 2.24
BHP: 1.89
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.16

ECL

Materials industry group

1.11

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
ECL: 1.11
Min: 0.16

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

BHP (BHP) at 0.50 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Ecolab (ECL) at 1.33 uses more debt funding than most peers.

BHP

Materials industry group

0.50

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
BHP: 0.50
Median: 0.47
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

ECL

Materials industry group

1.33

Max: 1.98
ECL: 1.33
Q3: 0.89
Median: 0.47
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL)
Metric	BHP	ECL
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.89	1.11
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.50	1.33
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.33	3.09

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

BHP (BHP) at 2.19% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Ecolab (ECL) at 0.95% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, BHP the richer one.

BHP

Materials industry group

2.19%

Max: 4.52%
BHP: 2.19%
Q3: 1.85%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ECL

Materials industry group

0.95%

Max: 4.52%
Q3: 1.85%
ECL: 0.95%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Ecolab (ECL) at 39.73% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while BHP (BHP) at 68.84% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

BHP

Materials industry group

68.84%

Max: 83.62%
BHP: 68.84%
Q3: 41.37%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ECL

Materials industry group

39.73%

Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
ECL: 39.73%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL)
Metric	BHP	ECL
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.19%	0.95%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	68.84%	39.73%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

BHP (BHP) at 20.70 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Ecolab (ECL) at 40.91 sits in the richer quartile — ECL needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

BHP

Materials industry group

20.70

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
BHP: 20.70
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

ECL

Materials industry group

40.91

Max: 59.00
ECL: 40.91
Q3: 32.93
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

BHP (BHP) at 3.46 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Ecolab (ECL) at 4.85 sits in the pricier quartile — ECL costs more per dollar of sales.

BHP

Materials industry group

3.46

Max: 9.62
Q3: 4.34
BHP: 3.46
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

ECL

Materials industry group

4.85

Max: 9.62
ECL: 4.85
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: BHP (BHP) at 3.98 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Ecolab (ECL) at 8.09 prices even higher, above its industry range.

BHP

Materials industry group

3.98

Max: 6.59
BHP: 3.98
Q3: 3.55
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

ECL

Materials industry group

8.09

ECL: 8.09
Max: 6.59
Q3: 3.55
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

BHP (BHP) vs. Ecolab (ECL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for BHP (BHP) and Ecolab (ECL)
Metric	BHP	ECL
P/E Ratio (TTM)	20.70	40.91
P/S Ratio (TTM)	3.46	4.85
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	3.98	8.09
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	4.72%	1.71%