Air Products and Chemicals (APD) vs Ecolab (ECL)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Air Products and Chemicals (APD) has outperformed Ecolab (ECL) over the past year, gaining 3.5% versus a loss of 0.3%. Over five years, ECL leads with a +26.3% price change compared with -4.2% for APD. Ecolab is the larger company by market cap ($77.96 billion vs $61.93 billion), about 1.3 times the size.
On valuation, Air Products and Chemicals trades at a lower forward P/E (19.3x vs 29.5x for Ecolab). Air Products and Chemicals offers the higher dividend yield (2.59% vs 1.02%). Ecolab converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 12.9% versus -3.3%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | APD | ECL |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $278.12 | $278.10 |
| Market cap | $61.93B | $77.96B |
| 1-day change | -1.02% | -0.97% |
| YTD return | +13.48% | +5.93% |
| 1-year return | +3.48% | -0.32% |
| 5-year return | -4.23% | +26.29% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | — | 37.33 |
| Forward P/E | 19.26 | 29.54 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-0.21 | $7.45 |
| Dividend yield | 2.59% | 1.02% |
| Annual dividend | $7.20 | $2.84 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $12.04B | $16.08B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | -0.52% | +2.16% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $-394.50M | $2.08B |
| Gross margin | 31.41% | 44.46% |
| Operating margin | -7.29% | 17.02% |
| Net margin | -3.28% | 12.91% |
| 52-week high | $314.87 | $309.27 |
| 52-week low | $229.11 | $243.15 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -11.67% | -10.08% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +23.50% | +16.88% |
| Average volume | 1.09M | 1.27M |
| Shares outstanding | 222.69M | 280.33M |
| Employees | 21,087 | 48,000 |
| Sector | Basic Materials | Consumer Discretionary |
| Industry | Major Chemicals | Package Goods/Cosmetics |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Air Products and Chemicals offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (2.59% vs 1.02%).
- Ecolab is more profitable, keeping 12.9 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus -3.3 cents for Air Products and Chemicals.
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Air Products and Chemicals in Basic Materials and Ecolab in Consumer Discretionary.
About Air Products and Chemicals
APD stock →Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. provides atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, equipment, and related services in the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, India, and internationally.
Basic Materials · Major Chemicals · 21,087 employees
About Ecolab
ECL stock →Ecolab Inc. provides water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions and services in the United States and internationally.
Consumer Discretionary · Package Goods/Cosmetics · 48,000 employees
APD vs ECL FAQ
Which is bigger, Air Products and Chemicals or Ecolab?
Ecolab (ECL) is larger, with a market capitalization of $77.96B compared with $61.93B for Air Products and Chemicals (APD).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, APD or ECL?
APD returned +3.48% over the past 12 months, compared with -0.32% for ECL (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Air Products and Chemicals or Ecolab?
Air Products and Chemicals has the higher yield at 2.59%, compared with 1.02% for Ecolab.
Are Air Products and Chemicals and Ecolab in the same industry?
No. Air Products and Chemicals is in the Basic Materials sector, while Ecolab is in Consumer Discretionary.