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Ecolab vs Johnson Matthey: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

Johnson Matthey leads structurally, with valuation as the clearest single gap between the two profiles. The remaining gap is narrow enough that the comparison remains open to different readings. The market setup broadly confirms the structural lead — Johnson Matthey holds the more constructive position. That puts structure and market broadly in agreement — Johnson Matthey's lead looks more confirmed than conflicted.

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

Updated 2026-08-16

Valuation still does most of the heavy lifting in this comparison.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Specialty Chemicals

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

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

Peer-Relative Score
ECL
Ecolab Inc.
51
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: Russell 1000
vs
JMAT.L
Johnson Matthey Plc
58
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: STOXX 600

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: ECL vs JMAT.L Profitability 37 28 Stability 57 48 Valuation 47 86 Growth 72 71 ECL JMAT.L
Gap Ranking
#1 Valuation +39
#2 Profitability +9
#3 Stability +9
#4 Growth +1
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for ECL and JMAT.L Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer ECLJMAT.L Relative valuation Structural strength

The structural gap is limited here, but current pricing still leans against Ecolab Inc..

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) and Forward P/E where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where ECL and JMAT.L each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY ECL Elevated · near norm 0th 50th 100th 6 pct gap JMAT.L Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 95th 88th
ECL (95th percentile) and JMAT.L (88th percentile) both sit in the upper portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

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

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Valuation
Both profiles are strong on valuation, but Johnson Matthey Plc leads clearly.
Profitability
Neither side looks especially strong on profitability, though Ecolab Inc. still ranks somewhat higher.
Valuation — Dominant Gap
ECL
47
JMAT.L
86
Gap+39in favour of JMAT.L

The multiple-based pricing edge comes from a forward P/E that is 18.4 turns lower.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Profitability still favours Ecolab, with a 16.3-point operating margin advantage keeping the comparison from looking fully resolved.

What this means for the comparison

Valuation clearly separates the pair, while the broader read stays strong rather than one-way.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the ECL vs JMAT.L comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Similar valuation-driven comparisons

Explore how ECL and JMAT.L 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.