ECL vs. CNI
ECL (Ecolab Inc.) and CNI (Canadian National Railway Company) are both stocks. ECL operates in Specialty Chemicals (Basic Materials), while CNI operates in Railroads (Industrials). Over the past 10 years, ECL returned 9.68%/yr vs 9.61%/yr for CNI. Their 0.42 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.
Performance
ECL vs. CNI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ECL achieves a 6.33% return, which is significantly lower than CNI's 30.21% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with ECL having a 9.68% annualized return and CNI not far behind at 9.61%.
ECL
- 1D
- -0.61%
- 1M
- -2.02%
- 6M
- -1.01%
- YTD
- 6.33%
- 1Y
- 7.50%
- 3Y*
- 15.65%
- 5Y*
- 5.85%
- 10Y*
- 9.68%
- ALL TIME*
- 14.00%
CNI
- 1D
- 0.06%
- 1M
- 4.65%
- 6M
- 33.76%
- YTD
- 30.21%
- 1Y
- 40.45%
- 3Y*
- 4.46%
- 5Y*
- 5.29%
- 10Y*
- 9.61%
- ALL TIME*
- 15.40%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $241.64M | $209.71M | $185.48M | |
ECL Ecolab Inc. | $370.45M | $328.65M | $428.60M |
ECL vs. CNI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ECL Ecolab Inc. | 6.33% | 13.19% | 19.29% | 37.94% | -37.10% | 9.38% | 13.17% | 32.26% | 11.07% | 15.80% |
CNI Canadian National Railway Company | 30.21% | -0.10% | -17.51% | 7.84% | -1.86% | 13.70% | 23.66% | 24.26% | -8.49% | 25.03% |
Correlation
The correlation between ECL and CNI is 0.38, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.38 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.34 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.42 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.42 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 26, 1996 | 0.42 |
Fundamentals
ECL:
$78.14B
CNI:
$76.95B
ECL:
$7.45
CNI:
CA$7.79
ECL:
37.26
CNI:
22.89
ECL:
4.68
CNI:
6.16
ECL:
7.81
CNI:
4.94
ECL:
$16.84B
CNI:
CA$17.78B
ECL:
$3.71B
CNI:
CA$7.90B
ECL:
$3.07B
CNI:
CA$9.04B
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Return for Risk
ECL vs. CNI — Risk / Return Rank
ECL
CNI
ECL vs. CNI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ecolab Inc. (ECL) and Canadian National Railway Company (CNI). 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 | CNI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.50 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.79 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.07 | 1.33 | -0.25 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.36 | 3.21 | -2.85 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.76 | 12.18 | -11.43 |
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Drawdowns
ECL vs. CNI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ECL drawdown since its inception was -47.19%, roughly equal to the maximum CNI drawdown of -46.66%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ECL and CNI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ECL | CNI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -47.19% | -46.66% | -0.53% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.09% | -12.37% | -7.72% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -20.09% | -29.14% | +9.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -43.70% | -29.14% | -14.56% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -43.70% | -29.15% | -14.55% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.48% | -2.58% | -6.90% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.99% | -9.47% | +1.48% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 9.54% | 3.26% | +6.28% |
Volatility
ECL vs. CNI - Volatility Comparison
Ecolab Inc. (ECL) has a higher volatility of 7.54% compared to Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) at 5.57%. This indicates that ECL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CNI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ECL | CNI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.54% | 5.57% | +1.97% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.27% | 16.96% | +0.31% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.79% | 21.66% | +0.13% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.08% | 22.45% | +1.63% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.13% | 22.70% | +2.43% |
Dividends
ECL vs. CNI - Dividend Comparison
ECL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.02%, less than CNI's 2.05% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CNI Canadian National Railway Company | 2.05% | 2.58% | 2.43% | 1.85% | 1.41% | 1.61% | 1.59% | 1.79% | 2.01% | 2.00% | 2.23% | 2.24% |
ECL Ecolab Inc. | 1.02% | 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. CNI - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Ecolab Inc. and Canadian National Railway Company. 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. CNI - Profitability Comparison
ECL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Ecolab Inc. reported a gross profit of -1.77B and revenue of 4.42B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was -40.1%.
CNI - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Canadian National Railway Company reported a gross profit of 2.08B and revenue of 4.76B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 43.7%.
ECL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Ecolab Inc. reported an operating income of 757.90M and revenue of 4.42B, resulting in an operating margin of 17.2%.
CNI - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Canadian National Railway Company reported an operating income of 1.78B and revenue of 4.76B, resulting in an operating margin of 37.5%.
ECL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Ecolab Inc. reported a net income of 534.90M and revenue of 4.42B, resulting in a net margin of 12.1%.
CNI - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Aug 2026, Canadian National Railway Company reported a net income of 1.25B and revenue of 4.76B, resulting in a net margin of 26.3%.
Frequently Asked Questions
ECL and CNI have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ECL has higher volatility (7.54%) compared to CNI (5.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ECL dropped -47.19% vs CNI's -46.66%.
CNI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.84 vs 0.33), 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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