The Filing Desk

Ecolab vs Westlake

Ecolab ECL · Westlake WLK · Specialty Chemicals

Ecolab reported revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal 2025, 1.4 times Westlake's $11.2 billion in fiscal 2025. Ecolab's revenue grew 2.2% in its latest year, and Westlake's fell 8.0%. Ecolab had an operating margin of 17.0%, against -14.1% at Westlake. Free cash flow was $1.9 billion at Ecolab and −$530 million at Westlake.

Side by side

EcolabWestlake
Latest fiscal yearFY2025, Dec 31, 2025FY2025, Dec 31, 2025
Revenue$16.1B$11.2B
Revenue growth2.2%−8.0%
Revenue growth a year, last 5 years6.4%8.3%
Gross margin44.5%7.3%
Operating margin17.0%−14.1%
Net margin12.9%−13.5%
Free cash flow$1.9B−$530M
Free cash flow margin11.8%−4.7%
Return on capital13.8%−10.0%
Net debt to EBITDA2.0x—
Dividends and buybacks$1.5B$335M
Change in diluted share count−0.5%−0.7%
Last close$288.89$65.31
P/E at the last close38.8×—
Insider trades, last 12 monthsbought $3.9 million, sold $27.1 millionsold $10.2 million
Piotroski F-score5 of 93 of 9
Amounts in each company's own currency, US$ unless marked (a foreign company may report in another), each company's latest fiscal year from its 10-K, or 20-F or 40-F for a foreign company. Growth rates compare with the year before; the five-year rate is the average a year. Free cash flow is cash from operations minus capital spending; return on capital is after-tax operating income over the money invested in the business; P/E is the last close over the latest earnings per share. Banks are measured differently (return on equity, efficiency ratio), so some rows apply to one company only.

Ten years

Revenue
US$ billions, fiscal years
EcolabWestlake
Operating margin
Percent of revenue
EcolabWestlake
Free cash flow
US$ billions. Cash from operations minus capital expenditure.
EcolabWestlake

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Source: the companies' Form 10-K filings, from SEC EDGAR, and the last close. For information only, not investment advice: the figures describe results, not which company is the better investment. The Filing Desk is not affiliated with either company. Full figures on the Ecolab and Westlake pages.