Ecolab (WBO:ECL) ROCE %: 13.43% (As of Mar. 2026)


WBO:ECL Ecolab Inc WBO:ECL
81 GF Score
Price €247.90
GF Value €235.47
Valuation Fairly Valued
! 1 Warning Sign
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What is Ecolab ROCE %?

Ecolab WBO:ECL +0.65% 81 ROCE % is 13.43% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus rates WBO:ECL with a GF Score™ of 81/100 and a GF Value™ of €235.47 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 1 warning sign investors should review.

ROCE % measures how well a company generates profits from its capital. It is calculated as EBIT divided by Capital Employed, where Capital Employed is calculated as Total Assets minus Total Current Liabilities. Ecolab's annualized ROCE % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 13.43%.

Ecolab  (WBO:ECL) ROCE % Explanation

ROCE % can be especially useful when comparing the performance of capital-intensive companies. Unlike ROE %, which indicates the profitability of Shareholders Equity, ROCE % also considers long-term debt in Capital Employed. This can be helpful when analyzing companies with significant debt, as the result is neutralized by taking debt into consideration.

Generally speaking, a higher ROCE % indicates a stonger profitability for a company. Moreover, it is important to look at the ratio from a long term perspective. Investors tend to favor companies with stable and rising ROCE % trend over those with volatile ones.

Ecolab ROCE % Related Terms

Ecolab ROCE % Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Ecolab's ROCE % 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 ROCE % Chart

Ecolab Annual Data
Trend Dec16 Dec17 Dec18 Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
ROCE %
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 10.36 9.44 11.94 16.93 14.70

Ecolab Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
ROCE % 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 12.97 15.59 16.31 15.31 13.43
WBO:ECL
81GF Score
Ecolab Inc WBO:ECL
ROCE % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Ecolab ROCE % Calculation

Ecolab's annualized ROCE % for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as:

ROCE %=EBIT/( (Capital Employed+Capital Employed)/ count )
(A: Dec. 2025 )  (A: Dec. 2024 )(A: Dec. 2025 )
=EBIT/( ( (Total Assets - Total Current Liabilities)+(Total Assets - Total Current Liabilities) )/ count )
(A: Dec. 2025 )  (A: Dec. 2024 )(A: Dec. 2025 )
=2437.401/( ( (21380.349 - 4577.124) + (21090.64 - 4726.634) )/ 2 )
=2437.401/( (16803.225+16364.006)/ 2 )
=2437.401/16583.6155
=14.70 %

Ecolab's ROCE % of for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 is calculated as:

ROCE %=EBIT (1)/( (Capital Employed+Capital Employed)/ count )
(Q: Mar. 2026 )  (Q: Dec. 2025 )(Q: Mar. 2026 )
=EBIT/( ( (Total Assets - Total Current Liabilities)+(Total Assets - Total Current Liabilities) )/ count )
(Q: Mar. 2026 )  (Q: Dec. 2025 )(Q: Mar. 2026 )
=2198.484/( ( (21090.64 - 4726.634) + (21660.119 - 5272.78) )/ 2 )
=2198.484/( ( 16364.006 + 16387.339 )/ 2 )
=2198.484/16375.6725
=13.43 %

(1) Note: The EBIT data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) EBIT data.

* 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.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about ROCE % →
What does a ROCE % of 13.43% mean?
Ecolab (WBO:ECL) has a ROCE % of 13.43% as of Mar. 2026.
Is Ecolab's ROCE % too high?
Ecolab's current ROCE % is 13.43%. The Chemicals industry median ROCE % is 6.42. Ecolab's value of 13.43% is 109.2% above this industry median. Overall, Ecolab has a GF Score™ of 81/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Ecolab's ROCE % compare to SHW and APD?
Ecolab's ROCE % of 13.43% can be compared against companies in the Chemicals industry. The industry median ROCE % is 6.42. Ecolab's value of 13.43% is 109.2% above this benchmark. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good ROCE % for a Chemicals company?
The median ROCE % among Chemicals companies is 6.42, based on 1,595 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a ROCE % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, ROCE % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Ecolab's current ROCE % of 13.43% is 109.2% 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 ROCE % mean?
A high ROCE % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. For the Chemicals industry, the median ROCE % is 6.42 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Ecolab's current ROCE % is 13.43%. 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 €235.47, compared to a current price of €247.90 — trading 5.3% above its estimated fair value. The current ROCE % is 13.43% and 109.2% above the Chemicals industry median of 6.42. Ecolab's overall GF Score™ is 81/100 with 1 warning sign to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is ROCE % calculated?
ROCE % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Ecolab (WBO:ECL), the current ROCE % is 13.43% 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 €247.90 is trading 5.3% above its estimated GF Value™ of €235.47. GuruFocus considers Ecolab to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for WBO:ECL:

  • ROCE %: 13.43%
  • GF Value™: €235.47 vs. price of €247.90 (5.3% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 81/100 with 1 warning sign
  • Industry Position: 109.2% above the Chemicals median

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.
81GF Score

Get the complete analysis for WBO:ECL

ROCE % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

€247.90
Price
€235.47
GF Value