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Akzo Nobel N.V. vs Element Solutions: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

Akzo Nobel leads structurally, with valuation as the clearest single gap between the two profiles. Element Solutions still leads on growth and profitability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. In the market, Element Solutions carries the stronger setup — intact trend against Akzo Nobel's broken trend. That leaves a split case: the structural lead stays with Akzo Nobel, but the market is not currently confirming it.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Peer scores are normalised within each company's primary universe (AKZA.AS: STOXX 600, ESI: Russell 1000).

Updated 2026-05-17

The comparison is mainly decided in valuation, with the rest of the profile carrying less weight.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Specialty Chemicals

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. AKZA.AS and ESI share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Akzo Nobel and Element Solutions each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
AKZA.AS
Akzo Nobel N.V.
50
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: STOXX 600
vs
ESI
Element Solutions Inc
44
Peer-Score
Signal qualityHigh
Peer basis: Russell 1000

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

Pricing shapes this comparison more than a broad operating gap.

Dimension spread: AKZA.AS vs ESI Profitability 42 55 Stability 34 47 Valuation 85 27 Growth 29 50 AKZA.AS ESI
Gap Ranking
#1 Valuation +58
#2 Growth +21
#3 Profitability +13
#4 Stability +13
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for AKZA.AS and ESI Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer AKZA.ASESI Relative valuation Structural strength

Element Solutions Inc occupies the cheaper side of the setup map, although Akzo Nobel N.V. still holds the stronger structural profile.

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where AKZA.AS and ESI each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY AKZA.AS Lower · below norm 0th 50th 100th 97 pct gap ESI Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 2nd 99th
Today AKZA.AS sits in the lower portion of its own 5-year history (2nd percentile), while ESI sits higher in its own history (99th). Within each stock's own 5-year context, AKZA.AS is at a historically more favourable entry position than ESI. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger — peer-relative analysis is a separate question addressed above.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Valuation
On valuation, Akzo Nobel N.V. ranks near the top of the group; Element Solutions Inc sits in the weaker half.
Growth
On growth, Element Solutions Inc is positioned higher in the group, while Akzo Nobel N.V. is closer to the middle.
Valuation — Dominant Gap
AKZA.AS
85
ESI
27
Gap+58in favour of AKZA.AS

The multiple-based pricing edge comes from a forward P/E that is 9.8 turns lower.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Element Solutions still pushes back on growth, with a 50-point revenue-growth advantage that keeps the read from becoming one-way.

What this means for the comparison

Valuation points more clearly to Akzo Nobel N.V., but growth and current pricing keep the broader result mixed.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the AKZA.AS vs ESI comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other comparisons with conflicting dimension signals

Explore how AKZA.AS and ESI 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.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

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.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

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.