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Element Solutions vs International Flavors & Fragrances: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

The structural profiles are close, with International Flavors & Fragrances carrying a narrow edge on valuation. Element Solutions still leads on profitability and stability, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. The market setup is mixed, without a decisive signal in either direction. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the Russell 1000 universe, making them directly comparable.

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. ESI and IFF share the same industry classification.

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

Peer-Relative Score
ESI
Element Solutions Inc
44
Peer-Score
Signal qualityHigh
Peer basis: Russell 1000
vs
IFF
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
48
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
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: ESI vs IFF Profitability 55 39 Stability 47 30 Valuation 27 69 Growth 50 49 ESI IFF
Gap Ranking
#1 Valuation +42
#2 Stability +17
#3 Profitability +16
#4 Growth +1
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for ESI and IFF Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer ESIIFF Relative valuation Structural strength

Element Solutions Inc looks stronger, but the price setup still looks more supportive for International Flavors & Fragrances Inc..

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

Entry today — historical context

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

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY ESI Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 75 pct gap IFF Lower · near norm 0th 50th 100th 99th 24th
Today IFF sits in the lower portion of its own 5-year history (24th percentile), while ESI sits higher in its own history (99th). Within each stock's own 5-year context, IFF 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
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. ranks near the top of the group on valuation; Element Solutions Inc sits in the weaker half.
Stability
Element Solutions Inc holds the stronger peer position on stability.
Valuation — Dominant Gap
ESI
27
IFF
69
Gap+42in favour of IFF

The multiple-based pricing edge comes from a forward P/E that is 6.2 turns lower.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

Element Solutions Inc still carries lower volatility exposure — that difference is real enough to prevent the comparison from becoming one-sided.

What this means for the comparison

The main read on valuation is clearer than the broader score gap.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

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

Explore full breakdown →
Similar valuation-driven comparisons

Explore how ESI and IFF 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.