ECL vs. VMC: Ecolab vs. Vulcan Materials Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Ecolab (ECL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC) 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 Vulcan Materials (VMC) both fall under the Materials industry group, but ECL is classified in Chemicals while VMC is classified in Construction Materials.

Company profile comparison for Ecolab (ECL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
Profile Item	ECL	VMC
Name	Ecolab Inc.	Vulcan Materials Company
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry Group	Materials	Materials
GICS Industry	Chemicals	Construction Materials
GICS Sub-Industry	Specialty Chemicals	Construction Materials
Market Capitalization	84.33 billion USD	36.29 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	February 21, 1973	February 21, 1973
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ECL

VMC

GSPC

Ecolab (ECL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC), 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 Vulcan Materials (VMC). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
Metric	ECL	VMC
Total Return (1Y)	20.33%	2.25%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	21.41%	12.53%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	6.90%	8.08%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ECL

VMC

GSPC

Ecolab (ECL) vs. Vulcan Materials (VMC), 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 Vulcan Materials (VMC). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
Metric	ECL	VMC
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	21.72%	30.13%
Beta (5Y)	0.84	0.98
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-43.70%	-32.50%
Avg. Volume (3M)	1.40M	1.16M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

ECL and VMC 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 Vulcan Materials (VMC)
Metric	ECL	VMC
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	0.74	-0.07
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.13	-0.09

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Ecolab (ECL) at 20.77% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 12.88% 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%

VMC

Materials industry group

12.88%

Max: 52.88%
Q3: 19.49%
VMC: 12.88%
Median: 8.76%
Q1: -3.41%
Min: -32.81%

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

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 11.99% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 13.78% keep about the typical share of revenue as profit for their industries — neither bottom line stands out from peers.

ECL

Materials industry group

11.99%

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

VMC

Materials industry group

13.78%

Max: 38.66%
Q3: 15.98%
VMC: 13.78%
Median: 5.28%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: -20.40%

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

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 19.22% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 23.95% 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%

VMC

Materials industry group

23.95%

Max: 66.70%
Q3: 28.92%
VMC: 23.95%
Median: 12.56%
Q1: 3.28%
Min: -14.07%

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

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
Metric	ECL	VMC
ROE (TTM)	20.77%	12.88%
ROA (TTM)	7.29%	5.89%
Net Margin (TTM)	11.99%	13.78%
Operating Margin (TTM)	19.22%	23.95%
Gross Margin (TTM)	44.04%	27.48%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 2.16% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 7.06% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

Both Ecolab (ECL) at -1.22% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 18.39% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
Metric	ECL	VMC
Revenue Growth (YoY)	2.16%	7.06%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	4.26%	2.77%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-1.22%	18.39%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	24.09%	23.46%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 1.11 and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 1.43 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

VMC

Materials industry group

1.43

Max: 5.96
Q3: 3.30
Median: 2.24
Q1: 1.45
VMC: 1.43
Min: 0.16

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

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Vulcan Materials (VMC) 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

VMC

Materials industry group

0.63

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

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

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
Metric	ECL	VMC
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.11	1.43
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.33	0.63
Net Debt / EBITDA	3.09	2.27

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 0.95% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 0.72% 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%

VMC

Materials industry group

0.72%

Max: 4.52%
Q3: 1.85%
VMC: 0.72%
Median: 0.38%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 39.73% and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 24.26% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

ECL

Materials industry group

39.73%

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

VMC

Materials industry group

24.26%

Max: 83.62%
Q3: 41.37%
VMC: 24.26%
Median: 9.54%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
Metric	ECL	VMC
Dividend Yield (TTM)	0.95%	0.72%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	39.73%	24.26%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 40.91 and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 33.46 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

VMC

Materials industry group

33.46

Max: 59.00
VMC: 33.46
Q3: 32.93
Median: 18.82
Q1: 11.96
Min: 3.93

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

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Ecolab (ECL) at 4.85 and Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 4.53 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

VMC

Materials industry group

4.53

Max: 9.62
VMC: 4.53
Q3: 4.34
Median: 1.87
Q1: 0.73
Min: 0.00

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

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Vulcan Materials (VMC) at 4.31 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

VMC

Materials industry group

4.31

Max: 6.59
VMC: 4.31
Q3: 3.55
Median: 2.08
Q1: 1.26
Min: -0.17

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

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Ecolab (ECL) and Vulcan Materials (VMC)
Metric	ECL	VMC
P/E Ratio (TTM)	40.91	33.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)	4.85	4.53
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	8.09	4.31
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	1.71%	1.96%