ECL vs. SCCO: Ecolab vs. Southern Copper Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Ecolab (ECL) and Southern Copper (SCCO) 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 Southern Copper (SCCO) both fall under the Materials industry group, but ECL is classified in Chemicals while SCCO is classified in Metals & Mining.

Company profile comparison for Ecolab (ECL) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Profile Item	ECL	SCCO
Name	Ecolab Inc.	Southern Copper Corporation
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry Group	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Chemicals	Metals & Mining
GICS Sub-Industry	Specialty Chemicals	Copper
Market Capitalization	84.33 billion USD	142.73 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	February 21, 1973	January 5, 1996
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ECL

SCCO

GSPC

Ecolab (ECL) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO), 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 Southern Copper (SCCO). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	ECL	SCCO
Total Return (1Y)	20.33%	38.53%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	21.41%	42.97%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	6.90%	30.79%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ECL

SCCO

GSPC

Ecolab (ECL) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO), 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 Southern Copper (SCCO). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	ECL	SCCO
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	21.72%	52.64%
Beta (5Y)	0.84	1.15
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-43.70%	-43.07%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.40M	1.14M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

ECL and SCCO 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 Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	ECL	SCCO
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.74	0.65
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.13	0.95

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 20.77% and Southern Copper (SCCO) at 52.88% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

ECL

Materials industry group

20.77%

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

SCCO

Materials industry group

52.88%

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

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

Net Margin (TTM)

Southern Copper (SCCO) at 37.16% 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%

SCCO

Materials industry group

37.16%

Max: 38.66%
SCCO: 37.16%
Q3: 15.98%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Southern Copper (SCCO) at 59.94% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Ecolab (ECL) at 19.22%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ECL

Materials industry group

19.22%

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

SCCO

Materials industry group

59.94%

Max: 66.70%
SCCO: 59.94%
Q3: 28.92%
Median: 12.56%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	ECL	SCCO
ROE (TTM)	20.77%	52.88%
ROA (TTM)	7.29%	27.29%
Net Margin (TTM)	11.99%	37.16%
Operating Margin (TTM)	19.22%	59.94%
Gross Margin (TTM)	44.04%	65.84%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 2.16% and Southern Copper (SCCO) at 17.38% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

Both Ecolab (ECL) at -1.22% and Southern Copper (SCCO) at 25.41% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	ECL	SCCO
Revenue Growth (YoY)	2.16%	17.38%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	4.26%	10.13%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-1.22%	25.41%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	24.09%	17.64%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Southern Copper (SCCO) at 4.31 carries current ratio above its industry’s typical mid-range, while Ecolab (ECL) at 1.11 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — different working-capital profiles, both worth examining.

ECL

Materials industry group

1.11

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

SCCO

Materials industry group

4.31

Max: 5.96
SCCO: 4.31
Q3: 3.30
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
Min: 0.16

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Southern Copper (SCCO) at 0.63 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

SCCO

Materials industry group

0.63

Max: 1.98
Q3: 0.89
SCCO: 0.63
Median: 0.47
Q1: 0.13
Min: 0.00

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

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	ECL	SCCO
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.11	4.31
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.33	0.63
Net Debt / EBITDA	3.09	0.05

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Southern Copper (SCCO) at 2.30% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Ecolab (ECL) at 0.95% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, SCCO the richer one.

ECL

Materials industry group

0.95%

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

SCCO

Materials industry group

2.30%

Max: 4.52%
SCCO: 2.30%
Q3: 1.85%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Ecolab (ECL) vs. Southern Copper (SCCO): 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 Southern Copper (SCCO) at 52.43% 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%

SCCO

Materials industry group

52.43%

Max: 83.62%
SCCO: 52.43%
Q3: 41.37%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	ECL	SCCO
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.95%	2.30%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	39.73%	52.43%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Southern Copper (SCCO) at 22.27 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.

ECL

Materials industry group

40.91

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

SCCO

Materials industry group

22.27

Max: 59.00
Q3: 32.93
SCCO: 22.27
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 4.85 and Southern Copper (SCCO) at 8.34 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

SCCO

Materials industry group

8.34

Max: 9.62
SCCO: 8.34
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Measured against book value, both Ecolab (ECL) at 8.09 and Southern Copper (SCCO) at 10.89 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark 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

SCCO

Materials industry group

10.89

SCCO: 10.89
Max: 6.59
Q3: 3.55
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Southern Copper (SCCO)
Metric	ECL	SCCO
P/E Ratio (TTM)	40.91	22.27
P/S Ratio (TTM)	4.85	8.34
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	8.09	10.89
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.71%	3.91%