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Ecolab vs IMCD N.V.: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

Ecolab holds the cleaner structural position, with the lead spread across profitability and stability. IMCD does not offset that deficit through any equally strong structural edge elsewhere. Both sides have seen trend damage — neither carries a clear market edge right now. With both trends damaged, the structural comparison carries most of the weight here.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels.

Updated 2026-04-05

The lead is spread across profitability and stability, rather than sitting in one isolated gap. The overall score gap is 27 points in favour of Ecolab Inc..

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Specialty Chemicals

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

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Ecolab and IMCD each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
ECL
Ecolab Inc.
66
Peer-Score
Signal qualityHigh
vs
IMCD.AS
IMCD N.V.
39
Peer-Score
Signal qualityMedium

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

Score differences across key dimensions.

Dimension spread: ECL vs IMCD.AS Profitability 84 26 Stability 65 39 Valuation 50 50 Growth 62 44 ECL IMCD.AS
Gap Ranking
#1 Profitability +58
#2 Stability +26
#3 Growth +18
#4 Valuation
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for ECL and IMCD.AS Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer ECLIMCD.AS Relative valuation Structural strength

Ecolab Inc. is stronger, but the price setup still looks more supportive for IMCD N.V..

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

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Profitability
On profitability, Ecolab Inc. ranks near the top of the group; IMCD N.V. sits in the weaker half.
Stability
On stability, the gap still runs the same way: Ecolab Inc. sits near the top of the group, while IMCD N.V. remains in the weaker half.
Profitability — Dominant Gap
ECL
84
IMCD.AS
26
Gap+58in favour of ECL

The profitability lead is mainly driven by a 11.8-point operating margin advantage.

What else supports the lead

Stability adds another layer of support rather than leaving the result tied to profitability alone.

What this means for the comparison

The lead is built on both profitability and stability, making it broader than a single-dimension result.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the ECL vs IMCD.AS comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Similar profitability-driven comparisons

Explore how ECL and IMCD.AS 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.

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.