$68.46
Value $261M
Acme UnitedvsEcolab
ACU and ECL stock compared: price, dividend, valuation and results, from SEC filings.
-2.51%
$309.27
Value $87.2B
Acme United (ACU) has a market value of $261M and Ecolab (ECL) $87.2B. Over the last year, with dividends, ACU moved +89.8% and ECL +19.8%. The P/E is 23.0 for ACU and 41.9 for ECL. Dividend yield: ACU 0.93%, ECL 0.94%.
At a glance
The main figures of both. A bar only shows which number is larger, not which is better.
Market value
ACU$261M
ECL$87.2B
ECL is 334 times ACU
Revenue, 12 months
ACU$221M
ECL$17.4B
ECL is 79 times ACU
Net income, 12 months
ACU$11M
ECL$2.1B
ECL is 184 times ACU
Operating margin
ACU7.2%
ECL16.7%
9.5 points apart
ROIC
ACU9.2%
ECL11.6%
2.4 points apart
P/E
ACU23.0
ECL41.9
ECL is 1.8 times ACU
Dividend yield
ACU0.9%
ECL0.9%
About the same
5-year return
ACU+107.1%
ECL+38.8%
68.3 points apart
A fainter bar means a negative number. The 5-year return includes dividends.
The price over time
Both start at 100 at the beginning of the period, so the lines show how much each changed. With dividends means each dividend buys more shares.
ACU+107.1%
ECL+38.8%
| Period | ACUWith dividends | ECLWith dividends |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year since November 12, 2025 | +89.8%Price +87.3% | +19.8%Price +18.5% |
| 3 years since November 13, 2023 | +94.2%+24.8% a yearPrice +85.9% | +78.2%+21.2% a yearPrice +72.8% |
| 5 years since November 12, 2021 | +107.1%+15.7% a yearPrice +90.2% | +38.8%+6.8% a yearPrice +31.2% |
| 10 years since November 15, 2016 | +280.8%+14.3% a yearPrice +216.8% | +201.9%+11.7% a yearPrice +171.0% |
Each cell: the total return with dividends, its yearly rate, and the price change alone. Before taxes and costs. Past returns do not predict future ones.
Every figure
As on each company's page. A description, not a recommendation: no one figure says which is better.
ACUAcme UnitedECLEcolab
Valuation
ACUECL| Price | $68.46 | $309.27 |
|---|---|---|
| Market value | $261M | $87.2B |
| Enterprise value (EV) | $281M | $99.7B |
| P/E | 23.0 | 41.9 |
| P/E, 5-year median | 15.2 | 38.2 |
| P/B | 2.1 | 8.4 |
| EV/EBIT | 17.6 | 34.3 |
| Free cash flow yield | 5.3% | 2.1% |
Results and growth
ACUECL| Revenue, 12 months | $221M | $17.4B |
|---|---|---|
| Net income, 12 months | $11M | $2.1B |
| Free cash flow, 12 months | $14M | $1.8B |
| Earnings per share, 12 months | $2.72 | $7.35 |
| Revenue growth, year on year | 1.1% | 2.2% |
| Revenue growth a year, past | +3.7%over 5 years | +6.4%over 5 years |
| EPS growth a year, past | +1.5%over 5 years | – |
Margins and returns on capital
ACUECL| Gross margin | 41.7% | 43.9% |
|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | 7.2% | 16.7% |
| Net margin | 5.1% | 12.0% |
| ROIC | 9.2% | 11.6% |
| ROE | 9.5% | 20.8% |
Balance sheet
ACUECL| Cash | $7.9M | $722M |
|---|---|---|
| Total debt | $37M | $13.4B |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 0.9 | 3.5 |
| Interest cover | 7.7× | 7.4× |
Dividends and buybacks
ACUECL| Dividend yield | 0.9% | 0.9% |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend per share, 12 months | $0.64 | $2.92 |
| Dividend growth a year, past | +5.3%over 5 years | +7.2%over 5 years |
| Buyback yield | – | 0.9% |
| Shareholder yield | 0.9% | 1.8% |
Last 12 months from the latest 10-Q and 10-K. Value, P/E and yields at today's price. A dash means the figure does not exist or did not pass our checks.
Which is bigger, Acme United or Ecolab?
By market value, Ecolab ($87.2B) is about 334.5 times Acme United ($261M), at today's prices.
How did ACU and ECL stock do over the last 10 years?
Since November 15, 2016, ACU's price moved +216.8% and ECL's +171.0%. With dividends: ACU +280.8% (+14.3% a year), ECL +201.9% (+11.7% a year). Past returns do not predict future ones.
Which pays the higher dividend, ACU or ECL?
The dividend yield at today's price is 0.93% for Acme United and 0.94% for Ecolab. Over the last twelve months they paid $0.64 and $2.92 per share.
What is the P/E of ACU and ECL?
At today's price, the P/E is 23.0 for ACU and 41.9 for ECL. The median of the last five years was 15.2 and 38.2, which shows where each stands against its own past.
Which has the higher profit margins, Acme United or Ecolab?
Over the last twelve months, the net margin was 5.1% for Acme United and 12.0% for Ecolab, and the operating margin 7.2% and 16.7%. Revenue was $221M and $17.4B.
Which is the better investment, Acme United or Ecolab?
The page does not answer that and does not suggest buying or selling. It puts the two companies' numbers side by side, from their SEC filings, for you to read and form your own view. The decision depends on your goals and situation.
Other comparisons
With each of the two, and with the largest in its sector.
Related pages
The other pages on US stocks, free to read. On the company pages, the last three fiscal years are open to everyone, five with a free account, and every year with Ploutos Investor.
US stocksThe market today, the sectors, the largest companies and the week's results.The market's sectorsThe 11 sectors side by side: returns, share of the market, median P/E and dividend.Compare stocksTwo companies side by side: price over up to ten years, with and without dividends, and every figure.US dividend stocksEach dividend's yield next to whether the company's cash covers it and whether it was ever cut.
Descriptive data from SEC filings and market prices.