ECL vs LIN
Ecolab and Linde plc, both Basic Materials
Linde plc is the larger company at $237B against $76B. On trailing earnings LIN is the cheaper of the two at a P/E of 31.7 against 39.0, a gap that is only a bargain if the two are growing at similar rates. Over the past year ECL returned +9.3% against +5.4% for LIN.
| Figure | ECL | LIN |
|---|---|---|
| Last close | $291 | $490 |
| Market cap | $76B | $237B |
| Trailing P/Elower is cheaper for the same earnings, not automatically better | 39.0 | 31.7 |
| Dividend yield | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| 1-year return | +9.3% | +5.4% |
| 5-year return | +39% | +71% |
| Ryufin Smart Scoresector-relative, 1–10 | 6/10 | 6/10 |
Figures from SEC filings and end-of-day closes. Highlighting marks the higher or lower number, which is not the same as the better investment, a low P/E can be a warning and a high one can be deserved.
Ecolab
Revenue of $4.4B in Q2 2026, net income $539M. Its largest reported line is United States, 43% of the disclosed total.
Linde plc
Revenue of $9.3B in Q2 2026, net income $1.9B. Its largest reported line is Americas, 46% of the disclosed total.
Open these two in the interactive comparison to add more names, change the period or read the correlation.