EcolabWBO:ECL -0.16%83 Quick Ratio is 0.73 as of Mar. 2026, which is 19% below its 10-year median of 0.90. GuruFocus rates WBO:ECL with a GF Score™ of 83/100 and a GF Value™ of €233.06 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review. Among 1,615 Chemicals companies, Ecolab ranks worse than 80.43% on this metric.
The quick ratio measures a company's ability to meet its short-term obligations with its most liquid assets. It is calculated as a company's Total Current Assets excludes Total Inventories divides by its Total Current Liabilities. Ecolab's quick ratio for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 0.73.
Ecolab has a quick ratio of 0.73. It indicates that the company cannot currently fully pay back its current liabilities.
The historical rank and industry rank for Ecolab's Quick Ratio or its related term are showing as below:
WBO:ECL'
s Quick Ratio Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 0.65 Med: 0.9 Max: 1.41
Current: 0.73
During the past 13 years, Ecolab's highest Quick Ratio was 1.41. The lowest was 0.65. And the median was 0.90.
WBO:ECL's Quick Ratio is ranked worse than 80.43% of 1615
companies
in the Chemicals industry
Industry Median: 1.37
vs WBO:ECL: 0.73
Ecolab (WBO:ECL) Quick Ratio Explanation
The quick ratio is more conservative than the Current Ratio because it excludes inventories from current assets. The ratio derives its name presumably from the fact that assets such as cash and marketable securities are quick sources of cash. Inventories generally take time to be converted into cash, and if they have to be sold quickly, the company may have to accept a lower price than book value of these inventories. As a result, they are justifiably excluded from assets that are ready sources of immediate cash.
In general, low or decreasing quick ratios generally suggest that a company is over-leveraged, struggling to maintain or grow sales, paying bills too quickly or collecting receivables too slowly. On the other hand, a high or increasing quick ratio generally indicates that a company is experiencing solid top-line growth, quickly converting receivables into cash, and easily able to cover its financial obligations. Such companies often have faster inventory turnover and cash conversion cycles.
The higher the quick ratio, the better the company's liquidity position.
Ecolab Quick Ratio Related Terms
Ecolab Quick Ratio Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Ecolab's Quick 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.
For the Specialty Chemicals subindustry, Ecolab's Quick Ratio, along with its competitors' market caps and Quick 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 Quick Ratio vs Chemicals Industry
For the Chemicals industry and Basic Materials sector, Ecolab's Quick Ratio distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Ecolab's Quick Ratio falls into.
The quick ratio measures a company's ability to meet its short-term obligations with its most liquid assets. For this reason, the ratio excludes inventories from current assets.
Ecolab's Quick Ratio for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as
* 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 (WBO:ECL) has a Quick Ratio of 0.73 as of Mar. 2026. Quick ratio is the ratio of current assets less inventory to current liabilities. View historical data on Ecolab and its competitors. This is 19% below median its historical median of 0.90. Over the past decade, Ecolab's Quick Ratio has ranged from 0.65 to 1.41. According to the industry distribution chart, Ecolab ranks #1299 out of 1615 companies in the Chemicals industry, placing it in the top 80.4%.
Is Ecolab's Quick Ratio too high?
Ecolab's current Quick Ratio of 0.73 is 19% below median its 10-year median of 0.90. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 0.65 to a high of 1.41. The Chemicals industry median Quick Ratio is 1.37. Ecolab's value of 0.73 is 46.7% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Ecolab ranks #1299 out of 1615 companies in the Chemicals industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Ecolab has a GF Score™ of 83/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Ecolab's Quick Ratio compare to SHW and APD?
According to the Chemicals industry distribution chart, Ecolab ranks #1299 out of 1615 companies for Quick Ratio. This places Ecolab in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Quick Ratio is 1.37. Ecolab's value of 0.73 is 46.7% below this benchmark. Historically, Ecolab's own Quick Ratio has ranged from 0.65 to 1.41 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 0.90 vs. the industry median of 1.37, Ecolab has consistently been below 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 Quick Ratio for a Chemicals company?
The median Quick Ratio among Chemicals companies is 1.37, based on 1,615 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Quick Ratio significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Quick Ratio should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Ecolab's current Quick Ratio of 0.73 is 46.7% below 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 Quick Ratio mean?
A high Quick Ratio can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Quick ratio is the ratio of current assets less inventory to current liabilities. View historical data on Ecolab and its competitors. For the Chemicals industry, the median Quick Ratio is 1.37 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Ecolab's current Quick Ratio is 0.73, which is 19% below median its own 10-year median of 0.90. 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 €233.06, compared to a current price of €247.50 — trading 6.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Quick Ratio is 0.73, which is 19% below median its 10-year median of 0.90 and 46.7% below the Chemicals industry median of 1.37. Ecolab's overall GF Score™ is 83/100 with 1 warning sign to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Quick Ratio calculated?
Quick Ratio is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Ecolab (WBO:ECL), the current Quick Ratio is 0.73 as of Mar. 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 €247.50 is trading 6.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of €233.06.
GuruFocus considers Ecolab to be Fairly Valued.
Key valuation signals for WBO:ECL:
Quick Ratio: 0.73 (19% below median its 10-year median of 0.90)
GF Value™: €233.06 vs. price of €247.50 (6.2% above fair value)
Industry Position: 46.7% below the Chemicals median (#1299 of 1615)
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 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.
83GF Score
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