ECL vs. SUZ: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ECL and SUZ, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
ECL is a standard domestic listing, while SUZ trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | ECL | SUZ |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ecolab Inc. | Suzano S.A. |
| Country | United States | Brazil |
| GICS Sector | Materials | Materials |
| GICS Industry | Chemicals | Paper & Forest Products |
| Market Capitalization | 79.93 billion USD | 12.36 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | February 21, 1973 | November 4, 2008 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ECL and SUZ by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | ECL | SUZ |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 4.47% | 4.79% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 10.75% | 1.96% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 12.72% | -9.73% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 18.80% | 0.91% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 7.67% | 3.72% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 20.28% | -12.45% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.01M | 5.57M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.27M | 5.82M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 16.83% | 22.89% |
| Beta | 1.12 | 0.19 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
ECL
24.07%
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 26.17%
- Q3
- 13.48%
- Median
- 8.13%
- Q1
- 2.52%
- Min
- -11.86%
In the upper quartile for the Chemicals industry, ECL’s Return on Equity of 24.07% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
SUZ
20.16%
Paper & Forest Products Industry
- Max
- 6.82%
- Q3
- 5.52%
- Median
- 4.14%
- Q1
- 2.38%
- Min
- -1.81%
SUZ’s Return on Equity of 20.16% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Paper & Forest Products industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
ECL
13.59%
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 21.80%
- Q3
- 9.57%
- Median
- 4.44%
- Q1
- 1.14%
- Min
- -11.30%
A Net Profit Margin of 13.59% places ECL in the upper quartile for the Chemicals industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
SUZ
15.26%
Paper & Forest Products Industry
- Max
- 18.06%
- Q3
- 11.46%
- Median
- 3.39%
- Q1
- 1.84%
- Min
- -2.16%
A Net Profit Margin of 15.26% places SUZ in the upper quartile for the Paper & Forest Products industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
ECL
18.40%
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 27.33%
- Q3
- 13.97%
- Median
- 8.08%
- Q1
- 4.46%
- Min
- -8.10%
An Operating Profit Margin of 18.40% places ECL in the upper quartile for the Chemicals industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
SUZ
26.63%
Paper & Forest Products Industry
- Max
- 31.11%
- Q3
- 16.36%
- Median
- 6.08%
- Q1
- 4.04%
- Min
- -2.64%
An Operating Profit Margin of 26.63% places SUZ in the upper quartile for the Paper & Forest Products industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ECL | SUZ |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 24.07% | 20.16% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 9.43% | 4.94% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 13.59% | 15.26% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 18.40% | 26.63% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 44.01% | 37.73% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
ECL
1.44
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 3.38
- Q3
- 2.23
- Median
- 1.73
- Q1
- 1.39
- Min
- 0.55
ECL’s Current Ratio of 1.44 aligns with the median group of the Chemicals industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
SUZ
3.16
Paper & Forest Products Industry
- Max
- 3.03
- Q3
- 2.03
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 1.09
- Min
- 0.99
SUZ’s Current Ratio of 3.16 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Paper & Forest Products industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
ECL
0.88
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 1.65
- Q3
- 0.94
- Median
- 0.65
- Q1
- 0.41
- Min
- 0.00
ECL’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.88 is typical for the Chemicals industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
SUZ
2.28
Paper & Forest Products Industry
- Max
- 1.61
- Q3
- 0.82
- Median
- 0.56
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.05
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.28, SUZ operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Paper & Forest Products industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
ECL
10.10
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 56.43
- Q3
- 26.33
- Median
- 9.38
- Q1
- 3.10
- Min
- -9.39
ECL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 10.10 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Chemicals industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
SUZ
0.53
Paper & Forest Products Industry
- Max
- 16.93
- Q3
- 14.16
- Median
- 7.41
- Q1
- 2.72
- Min
- -0.13
SUZ’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 0.53 is a critical concern. A value below 1.0 means operating earnings are insufficient to cover interest expenses, indicating severe financial strain and high default risk.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ECL | SUZ |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.44 | 3.16 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.09 | 2.47 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.88 | 2.28 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 10.10 | 0.53 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
ECL
0.89%
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 6.56%
- Q3
- 4.04%
- Median
- 2.47%
- Q1
- 1.45%
- Min
- 0.00%
ECL’s Dividend Yield of 0.89% is in the lower quartile for the Chemicals industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
SUZ
3.71%
Paper & Forest Products Industry
- Max
- 6.30%
- Q3
- 3.72%
- Median
- 2.41%
- Q1
- 1.71%
- Min
- 0.00%
SUZ’s Dividend Yield of 3.71% is consistent with its peers in the Paper & Forest Products industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
ECL
32.94%
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 181.25%
- Q3
- 95.01%
- Median
- 53.52%
- Q1
- 26.59%
- Min
- 0.00%
ECL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 32.94% is within the typical range for the Chemicals industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
SUZ
15.16%
Paper & Forest Products Industry
- Max
- 495.87%
- Q3
- 219.88%
- Median
- 83.21%
- Q1
- 24.91%
- Min
- 0.00%
SUZ’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 15.16% is in the lower quartile for the Paper & Forest Products industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ECL | SUZ |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.89% | 3.71% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 32.94% | 15.16% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
ECL
37.04
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 42.94
- Q3
- 29.77
- Median
- 20.37
- Q1
- 14.27
- Min
- 6.19
A P/E Ratio of 37.04 places ECL in the upper quartile for the Chemicals industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
SUZ
8.65
Paper & Forest Products Industry
- Max
- 36.56
- Q3
- 23.55
- Median
- 16.47
- Q1
- 13.85
- Min
- 5.22
In the lower quartile for the Paper & Forest Products industry, SUZ’s P/E Ratio of 8.65 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
ECL
5.03
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 4.36
- Q3
- 2.23
- Median
- 1.01
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.16
With a P/S Ratio of 5.03, ECL trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Chemicals industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
SUZ
1.32
Paper & Forest Products Industry
- Max
- 2.15
- Q3
- 1.30
- Median
- 0.80
- Q1
- 0.63
- Min
- 0.30
SUZ’s P/S Ratio of 1.32 is in the upper echelon for the Paper & Forest Products industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
ECL
8.20
Chemicals Industry
- Max
- 4.92
- Q3
- 2.56
- Median
- 1.54
- Q1
- 0.97
- Min
- 0.30
At 8.20, ECL’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Chemicals industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
SUZ
1.50
Paper & Forest Products Industry
- Max
- 1.90
- Q3
- 1.25
- Median
- 0.87
- Q1
- 0.73
- Min
- 0.25
SUZ’s P/B Ratio of 1.50 is in the upper tier for the Paper & Forest Products industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ECL | SUZ |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 37.04 | 8.65 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.03 | 1.32 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 8.20 | 1.50 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 50.28 | 11.76 |