ECL vs. ACN
ECL (Ecolab Inc.) and ACN (Accenture plc) are both stocks. ECL operates in Specialty Chemicals (Basic Materials), while ACN operates in Information Technology Services (Technology). Over the past 10 years, ECL returned 9.50%/yr vs 5.50%/yr for ACN. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
ECL vs. ACN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ECL achieves a 1.37% return, which is significantly higher than ACN's -35.62% return. Over the past 10 years, ECL has outperformed ACN with an annualized return of 9.50%, while ACN has yielded a comparatively lower 5.50% annualized return.
ECL
- 1D
- 0.68%
- 1M
- 7.18%
- YTD
- 1.37%
- 6M
- 1.24%
- 1Y
- 1.50%
- 3Y*
- 14.71%
- 5Y*
- 5.51%
- 10Y*
- 9.50%
ACN
- 1D
- 1.65%
- 1M
- 0.86%
- YTD
- -35.62%
- 6M
- -36.39%
- 1Y
- -43.95%
- 3Y*
- -16.94%
- 5Y*
- -8.24%
- 10Y*
- 5.50%
ECL vs. ACN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ECL Ecolab Inc. | 1.37% | 13.19% | 19.29% | 37.94% | -37.10% | 9.38% | 13.17% | 32.26% | 11.07% | 15.80% |
ACN Accenture plc | -35.62% | -22.14% | 1.86% | 33.60% | -34.75% | 60.67% | 26.04% | 51.21% | -6.23% | 33.34% |
Correlation
The correlation between ECL and ACN is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.52 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 19, 2001 | 0.44 |
Over the past year, the correlation between ECL and ACN has dropped to 0.14 - well below their long-term average of 0.44, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
Fundamentals
ECL:
$75.30B
ACN:
$106.02B
ECL:
$7.40
ACN:
$12.27
ECL:
35.88
ACN:
13.88
ECL:
1.90
ACN:
1.89
ECL:
4.59
ACN:
1.48
ECL:
7.53
ACN:
3.40
ECL:
$16.45B
ACN:
$72.11B
ECL:
$7.29B
ACN:
$23.06B
ECL:
$3.28B
ACN:
$12.11B
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Return for Risk
ECL vs. ACN — Risk / Return Rank
ECL
ACN
ECL vs. ACN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ecolab Inc. (ECL) and Accenture plc (ACN). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| ECL | ACN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.21 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.01 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.01 | 0.77 | +0.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.05 | -0.94 | +0.89 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.12 | -1.72 | +1.61 |
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Drawdowns
ECL vs. ACN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ECL drawdown since its inception was -47.19%, smaller than the maximum ACN drawdown of -59.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ECL and ACN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ECL | ACN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -47.19% | -59.20% | +12.01% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.09% | -47.89% | +27.80% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.09% | -58.67% | +38.58% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -43.70% | -58.67% | +14.97% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -43.70% | -58.67% | +14.97% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.70% | -55.91% | +42.21% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.98% | -12.89% | +4.91% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.77% | 26.93% | -18.16% |
Volatility
ECL vs. ACN - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Ecolab Inc. (ECL) is 7.47%, while Accenture plc (ACN) has a volatility of 12.95%. This indicates that ECL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ACN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ECL | ACN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.47% | 12.95% | -5.48% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.88% | 29.81% | -13.93% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.01% | 36.02% | -15.01% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.89% | 28.60% | -4.71% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.02% | 26.87% | -1.85% |
Dividends
ECL vs. ACN - Dividend Comparison
ECL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.04%, less than ACN's 3.74% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ACN Accenture plc | 3.74% | 2.26% | 1.52% | 1.33% | 1.51% | 0.87% | 1.26% | 1.07% | 1.98% | 1.66% | 1.97% | 2.03% |
ECL Ecolab Inc. | 1.04% | 1.02% | 1.01% | 1.09% | 1.42% | 0.83% | 0.87% | 0.96% | 1.15% | 1.13% | 1.21% | 1.17% |
Financials
ECL vs. ACN - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Ecolab Inc. and Accenture plc. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
ECL vs. ACN - Profitability Comparison
ECL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ecolab Inc. reported a gross profit of 1.77B and revenue of 4.07B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 43.6%.
ACN - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Accenture plc reported a gross profit of 5.46B and revenue of 18.04B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 30.3%.
ECL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ecolab Inc. reported an operating income of 622.00M and revenue of 4.07B, resulting in an operating margin of 15.3%.
ACN - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Accenture plc reported an operating income of 2.49B and revenue of 18.04B, resulting in an operating margin of 13.8%.
ECL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ecolab Inc. reported a net income of 432.60M and revenue of 4.07B, resulting in a net margin of 10.6%.
ACN - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Accenture plc reported a net income of 1.86B and revenue of 18.04B, resulting in a net margin of 10.3%.
Frequently Asked Questions
ECL and ACN have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ACN has higher volatility (12.95%) compared to ECL (7.47%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ECL dropped -47.19% vs ACN's -59.20%.
ECL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.05 vs -1.25), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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