EcolabECL +3.72%84 Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow is 42.48 as of Jun. 24, 2026, which is 13% above its 10-year median of 37.63. GuruFocus rates ECL with a GF Score™ of 84/100 and a GF Value™ of $266.94 (Fairly Valued). Among 907 Chemicals companies, Ecolab ranks worse than 71.22% on this metric.
As of today (2026-06-24), Ecolab's share price is $278.66.
Ecolab's Free Cash Flow per Share for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was $6.56. Hence, Ecolab's Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow Ratio for today is 42.48.
The historical rank and industry rank for Ecolab's Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow or its related term are showing as below:
ECL'
s Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 24.41 Med: 37.63 Max: 54.03
Current: 42.47
During the past 13 years, Ecolab's highest Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow Ratio was 54.03. The lowest was 24.41. And the median was 37.63.
ECL's Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow is ranked worse than 71.22% of 907
companies
in the Chemicals industry
Industry Median: 20.18
vs ECL: 42.47
During the past 12 months, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate of Ecolab was 24.90% per year.
During the past 3 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 21.20% per year.
During the past 5 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 8.70% per year.
During the past 10 years, the average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 4.40% per year.
During the past 13 years, Ecolab's highest 3-Year average Free Cash Flow per Share Growth Rate was 64.70% per year. The lowest was -13.40% per year. And the median was 9.10% per year.
Free Cash Flow is considered more important than earnings by value investors. The reason is because, in principle, only the net cash that can be taken from the business belongs to shareholders. This Free Cash Flow can be used to grow the business, reduce debt or return to shareholders in dividends or share buybacks.
In a DCF Calculation Free Cash Flow is used to determine the intrinsic value of companies.
Be Aware
In real business, Free Cash Flow can be affected by the change in accounts receivable, accounts payable, management's decision on expansion, etc. Therefore, investors should look at the Free Cash Flow over the longer term. Long-term average of Free Cash Flow is a more reliable indicator for real free cash flow.
Ecolab Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow Related Terms
Ecolab Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Ecolab's Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
ECL vs SHW, APD, PPG: Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow Comparison
For the Specialty Chemicals subindustry, Ecolab's Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow, along with its competitors' market caps and Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Ecolab Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow vs Chemicals Industry
For the Chemicals industry and Basic Materials sector, Ecolab's Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Ecolab's Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow falls into.
Ecolab's Share Price of today is $278.66. Ecolab's Free Cash Flow per Share for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was $6.56.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
It can also be calculated from the numbers for the whole company:
What does a Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow of 42.48 mean?
Ecolab (ECL) has a Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow of 42.48 as of Jun. 24, 2026. Price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is the ratio of share price to a company's free cash flow per share. View historical data on Ecolab and its competitors. This is 13% above median its historical median of 37.63. Over the past decade, Ecolab's Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow has ranged from 24.41 to 54.03. According to the industry distribution chart, Ecolab ranks #646 out of 907 companies in the Chemicals industry, placing it in the top 71.2%.
Is Ecolab's Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow too high?
Ecolab's current Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow of 42.48 is 13% above median its 10-year median of 37.63. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 24.41 to a high of 54.03. The Chemicals industry median Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow is 20.18. Ecolab's value of 42.48 is 110.5% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Ecolab ranks #646 out of 907 companies in the Chemicals industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Ecolab has a GF Score™ of 84/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Ecolab's Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow compare to SHW and APD?
According to the Chemicals industry distribution chart, Ecolab ranks #646 out of 907 companies for Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow. This places Ecolab in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow is 20.18. Ecolab's value of 42.48 is 110.5% above this benchmark. Historically, Ecolab's own Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow has ranged from 24.41 to 54.03 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 37.63 vs. the industry median of 20.18, Ecolab has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow for a Chemicals company?
The median Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow among Chemicals companies is 20.18, based on 907 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Ecolab's current Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow of 42.48 is 110.5% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow mean?
A high Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is the ratio of share price to a company's free cash flow per share. View historical data on Ecolab and its competitors. For the Chemicals industry, the median Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow is 20.18 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Ecolab's current Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow is 42.48, which is 13% above median its own 10-year median of 37.63. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Ecolab stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ecolab (ECL) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is $266.94, compared to a current price of $278.66 — trading 4.4% above its estimated fair value. The current Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow is 42.48, which is 13% above median its 10-year median of 37.63 and 110.5% above the Chemicals industry median of 20.18. Ecolab's overall GF Score™ is 84/100. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow calculated?
Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Ecolab (ECL), the current Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow is 42.48 as of Jun. 24, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Ecolab (ECL) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ecolab stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $278.66 is trading 4.4% above its estimated GF Value™ of $266.94.
GuruFocus considers Ecolab to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for ECL:
Price-to-Free-Cash-Flow: 42.48 (13% above median its 10-year median of 37.63)
GF Value™: $266.94 vs. price of $278.66 (4.4% above fair value)
Industry Position: 110.5% above the Chemicals median (#646 of 907)
No single metric tells the full story. See the ECL stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Ecolab produces and markets cleaning and sanitation products for the industrial manufacturing, data center, hospitality, healthcare, and life sciences markets. The firm is the global market share leader in this category with a wide array of products and services, including dish and laundry washing systems, pest control, and infection control products. Additionally, Ecolab sells customized water management and cooling solutions across its end markets. The company has a strong hold on the US market and is growing its presence abroad.
84GF Score
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