Ecolab (WBO:ECL) Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio: 8.87 (As of Jul. 18, 2026) — 14% Above Median

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WBO:ECL Ecolab Inc WBO:ECL
84 GF Score
Price €241.60
GF Value €238.28
Valuation Fairly Valued
View Full Analysis

What is Ecolab Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio?

Ecolab WBO:ECL +0.88% 84 Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 8.87 as of Jul. 18, 2026, which is 14% above its 10-year median of 7.76. GuruFocus rates WBO:ECL with a GF Score™ of 84/100 and a GF Value™ of €238.28 (Fairly Valued). Among 1,282 Chemicals companies, Ecolab ranks worse than 91.89% on this metric.

As of today (2026-07-18), Ecolab's current share price is €241.60. Ecolab's Cyclically Adjusted Book per Share for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was €27.24. Ecolab's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio for today is 8.87.

The historical rank and industry rank for Ecolab's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio or its related term are showing as below:

WBO:ECL' s Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 4.63   Med: 7.76   Max: 9.84
Current: 8.52

During the past years, Ecolab's highest Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio was 9.84. The lowest was 4.63. And the median was 7.76.

WBO:ECL's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is ranked worse than
91.89% of 1282 companies
in the Chemicals industry
Industry Median: 1.705 vs WBO:ECL: 8.52

The Shiller PE Ratio was first used by professor Robert Shiller. He uses E10 for his Shiller PE Ratio calculation. E10 is the average of the inflation adjusted earnings per share of a company over the past 10 years. The similar calculation is applied by GuruFocus to calculate the Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio. The Cyclically Adjusted Book per Share is the average of the inflation adjusted book value per share of a company over the past 10 years.

Ecolab's adjusted book value per share data for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was €30.747. Add all the adjusted book value per share for the past 10 years together and divide the count will get our Cyclically Adjusted Book per Share, which is €27.24 for the trailing ten years ended in Mar. 2026.

Shiller PE for Stocks: The True Measure of Stock Valuation


Ecolab  (WBO:ECL) Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Explanation

Compared with the regular PB Ratio, which works poorly for cyclical businesses, the Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio smoothed out the fluctuations of book value during business cycles. Therefore it is more accurate in reflecting the valuation of the company.

If a company has consistent business performance, the Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio should give similar results to regular PB Ratio.


Ecolab Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Related Terms


Ecolab Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Ecolab's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio 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.

Ecolab Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Chart

Ecolab Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 8.58 5.01 6.66 7.72 8.38

Ecolab Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 8.25 8.68 8.74 8.38 8.30

WBO:ECL vs SHW, APD, PPG: Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Comparison

For the Specialty Chemicals subindustry, Ecolab's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio 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 Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio vs Chemicals Industry

For the Chemicals industry and Basic Materials sector, Ecolab's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Ecolab's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio falls into.


WBO:ECL
84GF Score
Ecolab Inc WBO:ECL
Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Ecolab Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio Calculation

Like the Shiller PE Ratio, the Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio takes the Book Value per Share from the past 10 years, adjusts it for inflation, and then calculates the average. This average is then used for the P/B calculation. Because it considers this 10-year average, it's often referred to as the CAPB Ratio.

The Shiller PE Ratio was first used by professor Robert Shiller to measure the valuation of the overall market. The similar calculation is applied by GuruFocus to calculate the Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio.

Ecolab's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio for today is calculated as

Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio=Share Price/ Cyclically Adjusted Book per Share
=241.60/27.24
=8.87

* 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.

Ecolab's Cyclically Adjusted Book per Share for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 is calculated as:

For example, Ecolab's adjusted Book Value per Share data for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was:

Adj_Book=Book Value per Share/CPI of Mar. 2026 (Change)*Current CPI (Mar. 2026)
=30.747/330.2130*330.2130
=30.747

Current CPI (Mar. 2026) = 330.2130.

Ecolab Quarterly Data

Book Value per Share CPI Adj_Book
201606 20.146 241.018 27.602
201609 20.994 241.428 28.715
201612 22.418 241.432 30.662
201703 21.951 243.801 29.731
201706 21.282 244.955 28.689
201709 20.973 246.819 28.059
201712 22.151 246.524 29.671
201803 21.366 249.554 28.272
201806 23.257 251.989 30.477
201809 23.524 252.439 30.772
201812 24.451 251.233 32.138
201903 25.240 254.202 32.787
201906 25.298 256.143 32.614
201909 26.989 256.759 34.710
201912 27.104 256.974 34.829
202003 27.607 258.115 35.318
202006 18.219 257.797 23.337
202009 17.890 260.280 22.697
202012 17.742 260.474 22.492
202103 18.485 264.877 23.045
202106 19.465 271.696 23.657
202109 20.566 274.310 24.757
202112 22.284 278.802 26.393
202203 22.510 287.504 25.854
202206 23.546 296.311 26.240
202209 25.044 296.808 27.863
202212 24.010 296.797 26.713
202303 24.092 301.836 26.357
202306 24.470 305.109 26.483
202309 25.618 307.789 27.484
202312 25.843 306.746 27.820
202403 26.435 312.332 27.948
202406 27.058 314.175 28.439
202409 27.198 315.301 28.484
202412 29.515 315.605 30.881
202503 28.959 319.799 29.902
202506 28.491 322.561 29.167
202509 29.236 324.800 29.723
202512 29.587 324.054 30.149
202603 30.747 330.213 30.747

Add all the adjusted book value per share together and divide the count will get our Cyclically Adjusted Book per Share.

Please note that we use the CPI data of the country/region where the company is headquartered. If the CPI data for that country/region is not available, then we will use the CPI data of the United States as default.

What does a Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio of 8.87 mean?
Ecolab (WBO:ECL) has a Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio of 8.87 as of Jul. 18, 2026. Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is the ratio of share price to a company's inflation-adjusted book value per share over a 10-year period. View historical data on Ecolab and its competitors. This is 14% above median its historical median of 7.76. Over the past decade, Ecolab's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio has ranged from 4.63 to 9.84. According to the industry distribution chart, Ecolab ranks #1178 out of 1282 companies in the Chemicals industry, placing it in the top 91.9%.
Is Ecolab's Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio too high?
Ecolab's current Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio of 8.87 is 14% above median its 10-year median of 7.76. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 4.63 to a high of 9.84. The Chemicals industry median Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 1.71. Ecolab's value of 8.87 is 420.2% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Ecolab ranks #1178 out of 1282 companies in the Chemicals industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. 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 Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio compare to SHW and APD?
According to the Chemicals industry distribution chart, Ecolab ranks #1178 out of 1282 companies for Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio. This places Ecolab in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 1.71. Ecolab's value of 8.87 is 420.2% above this benchmark. Historically, Ecolab's own Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio has ranged from 4.63 to 9.84 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 7.76 vs. the industry median of 1.71, 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 Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio for a Chemicals company?
The median Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio among Chemicals companies is 1.71, based on 1,282 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Ecolab's current Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio of 8.87 is 420.2% 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 Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio mean?
A high Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is the ratio of share price to a company's inflation-adjusted book value per share over a 10-year period. View historical data on Ecolab and its competitors. For the Chemicals industry, the median Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 1.71 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Ecolab's current Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 8.87, which is 14% above median its own 10-year median of 7.76. 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 (WBO:ECL) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is €238.28, compared to a current price of €241.60 — trading 1.4% above its estimated fair value. The current Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 8.87, which is 14% above median its 10-year median of 7.76 and 420.2% above the Chemicals industry median of 1.71. 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 Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio calculated?
Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Ecolab (WBO:ECL), the current Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is 8.87 as of Jul. 18, 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 (WBO:ECL) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Ecolab stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of €241.60 is trading 1.4% above its estimated GF Value™ of €238.28. GuruFocus considers Ecolab to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for WBO:ECL:

  • Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio: 8.87 (14% above median its 10-year median of 7.76)
  • GF Value™: €238.28 vs. price of €241.60 (1.4% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 84/100
  • Industry Position: 420.2% above the Chemicals median (#1178 of 1282)

No single metric tells the full story. See the WBO:ECL stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Ecolab Business Description

Address 1 Ecolab Place, Saint Paul, MN, USA, 55102
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

Get the complete analysis for WBO:ECL

Cyclically Adjusted PB Ratio is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

€241.60
Price
€238.28
GF Value