XYL vs. ECL

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Xylem Inc. (XYL) and Ecolab Inc. (ECL).

Performance

XYL vs. ECL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Xylem Inc. (XYL) and Ecolab Inc. (ECL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

XYL vs. ECL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
XYL Xylem Inc.	-11.95%	18.78%	2.57%	4.77%	-6.60%	18.94%	30.90%	19.59%	-1.01%	39.50%
ECL Ecolab Inc.	1.60%	13.19%	19.29%	37.94%	-37.10%	9.38%	13.17%	32.26%	11.07%	15.80%

Fundamentals

Market Cap XYL : $29.16B ECL : $75.60B
EPS XYL : $3.92 ECL : $7.28
PE Ratio XYL : 30.47 ECL : 36.53
PEG Ratio XYL : 1.92 ECL : 1.93
PS Ratio XYL : 3.23 ECL : 4.71
PB Ratio XYL : 2.54 ECL : 7.74
Total Revenue (TTM) XYL : $9.04B ECL : $16.08B
Gross Profit (TTM) XYL : $3.48B ECL : $5.31B
EBITDA (TTM) XYL : $1.22B ECL : $3.30B

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, XYL achieves a -11.95% return, which is significantly lower than ECL's 1.60% return. Over the past 10 years, XYL has outperformed ECL with an annualized return of 12.59%, while ECL has yielded a comparatively lower 10.18% annualized return.

XYL

• 1D: 2.86%
• 1M: -7.76%
• YTD: -11.95%
• 6M: -18.48%
• 1Y: 1.26%
• 3Y*: 5.77%
• 5Y*: 3.91%
• 10Y*: 12.59%

ECL

• 1D: 1.34%
• 1M: -13.50%
• YTD: 1.60%
• 6M: -2.33%
• 1Y: 6.02%
• 3Y*: 18.37%
• 5Y*: 5.33%
• 10Y*: 10.18%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Return for Risk

XYL vs. ECL — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

XYL

XYL Risk / Return Rank: 41
XYL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 43
XYL Sortino Ratio Rank: 36
XYL Omega Ratio Rank: 37
XYL Calmar Ratio Rank: 43
XYL Martin Ratio Rank: 43

ECL

ECL Risk / Return Rank: 50
ECL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 53
ECL Sortino Ratio Rank: 43
ECL Omega Ratio Rank: 43
ECL Calmar Ratio Rank: 54
ECL Martin Ratio Rank: 56

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

XYL vs. ECL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xylem Inc. (XYL) and Ecolab Inc. (ECL). 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.

	XYL	ECL	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.05	0.29	-0.24
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.26	0.53	-0.27
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.04	1.07	-0.03
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.05	0.47	-0.41
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	0.15	1.35	-1.20
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

XYL vs. ECL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current XYL Sharpe Ratio is 0.05, which is lower than the ECL Sharpe Ratio of 0.29. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of XYL and ECL, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	XYL	ECL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.05	0.29	-0.24
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.15	0.23	-0.07
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.47	0.41	+0.05
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.50	0.56	-0.05

Correlation

The correlation between XYL and ECL is 0.54, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

XYL vs. ECL - Dividend Comparison

XYL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.36%, more than ECL's 1.04% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
XYL Xylem Inc.	1.36%	1.17%	1.24%	1.15%	1.09%	0.93%	1.02%	1.22%	1.26%	1.06%	1.25%	1.54%
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%

Drawdowns

XYL vs. ECL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum XYL drawdown since its inception was -46.69%, roughly equal to the maximum ECL drawdown of -47.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XYL and ECL.

Drawdown Indicators

	XYL	ECL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-46.69%	-47.19%	+0.50%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-23.57%	-16.60%	-6.97%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-46.69%	-43.70%	-2.99%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-46.69%	-43.70%	-2.99%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-21.38%	-13.50%	-7.88%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.21%	-7.94%	-2.27%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	8.44%	5.71%	+2.73%

Volatility

XYL vs. ECL - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Xylem Inc. (XYL) is 6.54%, while Ecolab Inc. (ECL) has a volatility of 6.93%. This indicates that XYL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ECL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	XYL	ECL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.54%	6.93%	-0.39%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.78%	15.11%	+1.67%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	25.97%	21.00%	+4.97%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	25.86%	23.69%	+2.17%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	27.11%	24.84%	+2.27%

Financials

XYL vs. ECL - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Xylem Inc. and Ecolab Inc. over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

XYL - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Xylem Inc. reported a gross profit of 932.00M and revenue of 2.40B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 38.9%.

ECL - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Ecolab Inc. reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 4.20B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.

XYL - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Xylem Inc. reported an operating income of 353.00M and revenue of 2.40B, resulting in an operating margin of 14.7%.

ECL - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Ecolab Inc. reported an operating income of 680.50M and revenue of 4.20B, resulting in an operating margin of 16.2%.

XYL - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Xylem Inc. reported a net income of 335.00M and revenue of 2.40B, resulting in a net margin of 14.0%.

ECL - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Ecolab Inc. reported a net income of 563.90M and revenue of 4.20B, resulting in a net margin of 13.4%.