The structural profiles are close, with Ecolab carrying a narrow edge on profitability. Air Products and Chemicals still leads on growth and valuation, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is currently leaning toward Air Products and Chemicals, which does not confirm the structural lead. That leaves a split case: the structural lead stays with Ecolab, but the market is not currently confirming it.
The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels.
The comparison is mainly decided in profitability, with the rest of the profile carrying less weight.
Both operate in: Specialty Chemicals
This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. APD and ECL share the same industry classification.
For a similarity-based comparison, see how APD and Ecolab each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.
Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.
The clearest separation appears in profitability.
Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and Ecolab Inc. look relatively close on structure, but the price setup still leans toward Air Products and Chemicals, Inc..
Valuation position uses Forward P/E and peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.
Capital efficiency adds support, with a 16.2-point ROIC advantage.
Absolute pricing still looks more supportive for Air Products and Chemicals, with a forward P/E that is 6.4 turns lower there.
The main read on profitability is clearer than the broader score gap.
Break down the APD vs ECL comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.
Explore how APD and ECL each compare against other companies in their peer groups.
Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.
AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.
Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.
Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.