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ECL vs. LIN: Ecolab vs. Linde Stock Comparison

How do Ecolab (ECL) and Linde (LIN) 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

Ecolab (ECL) and Linde (LIN) both belong to the Chemicals industry, though ECL is classified under Specialty Chemicals while LIN falls under Industrial Gases.

Company profile comparison for Ecolab (ECL) and Linde (LIN)
Profile ItemECLLIN
NameEcolab Inc.Linde plc
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorMaterialsMaterials
GICS Industry GroupMaterialsMaterials
GICS IndustryChemicalsChemicals
GICS Sub-IndustrySpecialty ChemicalsIndustrial Gases
Market Capitalization84.33 billion USD236.54 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateFebruary 21, 1973June 17, 1992
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ECL
LIN
GSPC
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Ecolab (ECL) vs. Linde (LIN), 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 Ecolab (ECL) and Linde (LIN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricECLLIN
Total Return (1Y)20.33%25.64%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)21.41%11.48%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)6.90%10.50%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ECL
LIN
GSPC
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Ecolab (ECL) vs. Linde (LIN), 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 Ecolab (ECL) and Linde (LIN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricECLLIN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)21.72%19.00%
Beta (5Y)0.840.67
Max Drawdown (5Y)-43.70%-22.82%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.40M2.05M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ECL and LIN 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 Ecolab (ECL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricECLLIN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.741.12
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.131.65

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Ecolab (ECL) at 20.77% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Linde (LIN) at 17.72% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for ECL.

ECL

Materials industry group

20.77%

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

LIN

Materials industry group

17.72%

Max
52.88%
Q3
19.49%
LIN
17.72%
Median
8.76%
Q1
-3.41%
Min
-32.81%
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Ecolab (ECL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their ROE against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Linde (LIN) at 19.34% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Ecolab (ECL) at 11.99%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ECL

Materials industry group

11.99%

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

LIN

Materials industry group

19.34%

Max
38.66%
LIN
19.34%
Q3
15.98%
Median
5.28%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-20.40%
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Ecolab (ECL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their net margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 19.22% and Linde (LIN) at 27.97% run core operations about as efficiently as their industries’ norm — neither stands out on operating profitability.

ECL

Materials industry group

19.22%

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

LIN

Materials industry group

27.97%

Max
66.70%
Q3
28.92%
LIN
27.97%
Median
12.56%
Q1
3.28%
Min
-14.07%
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Ecolab (ECL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricECLLIN
ROE (TTM)20.77%17.72%
ROA (TTM)7.29%7.17%
Net Margin (TTM)11.99%19.34%
Operating Margin (TTM)19.22%27.97%
Gross Margin (TTM)44.04%47.86%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 2.16% and Linde (LIN) at 2.97% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

Both Ecolab (ECL) at -1.22% and Linde (LIN) at 7.27% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricECLLIN
Revenue Growth (YoY)2.16%2.97%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)4.26%0.62%
EPS Growth (YoY)-1.22%7.27%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)24.09%21.08%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 1.11 and Linde (LIN) at 0.86 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

ECL

Materials industry group

1.11

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

LIN

Materials industry group

0.86

Max
5.96
Q3
3.30
Median
2.24
Q1
1.45
LIN
0.86
Min
0.16
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Ecolab (ECL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Linde (LIN) at 0.65 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Ecolab (ECL) at 1.33 uses more debt funding than most peers.

ECL

Materials industry group

1.33

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

LIN

Materials industry group

0.65

Max
1.98
Q3
0.89
LIN
0.65
Median
0.47
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Ecolab (ECL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricECLLIN
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.110.86
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.330.65
Net Debt / EBITDA3.091.65

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 0.95% and Linde (LIN) at 1.21% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

ECL

Materials industry group

0.95%

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

LIN

Materials industry group

1.21%

Max
4.52%
Q3
1.85%
LIN
1.21%
Median
0.38%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ecolab (ECL) vs. Linde (LIN): 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 Linde (LIN) at 41.83% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

ECL

Materials industry group

39.73%

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

LIN

Materials industry group

41.83%

Max
83.62%
LIN
41.83%
Q3
41.37%
Median
9.54%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Ecolab (ECL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricECLLIN
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.95%1.21%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)39.73%41.83%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 40.91 and Linde (LIN) at 34.21 sit in the richer earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, so investors are paying more for TTM earnings than they pay for typical peers.

ECL

Materials industry group

40.91

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

LIN

Materials industry group

34.21

Max
59.00
LIN
34.21
Q3
32.93
Median
18.82
Q1
11.96
Min
3.93
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Ecolab (ECL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 4.85 and Linde (LIN) at 6.53 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

ECL

Materials industry group

4.85

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

LIN

Materials industry group

6.53

Max
9.62
LIN
6.53
Q3
4.34
Median
1.87
Q1
0.73
Min
0.00
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Ecolab (ECL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Linde (LIN) at 6.00 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Ecolab (ECL) at 8.09 prices even higher, above its industry range.

ECL

Materials industry group

8.09

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

LIN

Materials industry group

6.00

Max
6.59
LIN
6.00
Q3
3.55
Median
2.08
Q1
1.26
Min
-0.17
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Ecolab (ECL) vs. Linde (LIN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Materials industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Linde (LIN)
MetricECLLIN
P/E Ratio (TTM)40.9134.21
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.856.53
P/B Ratio (MRQ)8.096.00
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.71%1.77%