Ecolab Inc. (ECL) vs International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF)
ECL leads on 9 of 17 compared metrics, though IFF is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Ecolab Inc. and International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 15, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
ECL
Ecolab Inc.
$268.58Basic Materials
IFF
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
$78.36Basic Materials
Total return — ECL vs IFF
growth of $100 · last 30yECL +3203.6%IFF +57.5%ECL compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
ECL IFF
ECL vs IFF: by the numbers
- •ECL is the larger company ($75.59B vs $20.01B market cap).
- •IFF trades at the lower earnings multiple (23.96 vs 36.34 P/E).
- •ECL converts more revenue to profit (12.80% vs 7.90% net margin).
- •IFF grew revenue faster over the past five years (11.71% vs 7.14% CAGR).
- •IFF pays the higher dividend yield (2.04% vs 1.03%).
Which is better, ECL or IFF?
Metric tally: ECL 9 · IFF 8It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueIFF(lower P/E)
GrowthIFF(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeIFF(higher dividend yield)
QualityECL(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | ECL | IFF |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 36.34 | 23.96● |
| Forward P/E | 32.31 | 17.66● |
| P/S ratio | 4.63 | 1.87● |
| P/B ratio | 7.62 | 1.43● |
| PEG ratio | 7.00 | 0.19● |
| EV / EBITDA | 25.87 | 12.73● |
| FCF yield | 2.45%● | 1.98% |
Profitability
| Metric | ECL | IFF |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 44.29%● | 36.35% |
| Operating margin | 17.49%● | 7.56% |
| Net margin | 12.80%● | 7.90% |
| ROE | 21.05%● | 6.03% |
| ROIC | 11.95%● | 3.19% |
Dividends
| Metric | ECL | IFF |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 1.03% | 2.04%● |
| Payout ratio | 37.65% | — |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ECL | IFF |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 7.14% | 11.71%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 5.19%● | -25.13% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 6.68%● | -13.45% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 5.67%● | -9.46% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, ECL or IFF?
- It depends on your goal. value: IFF (lower P/E); growth: IFF (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: IFF (higher dividend yield); quality: ECL (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, ECL leads 9 to 8.
- Is ECL or IFF cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, IFF is cheaper: ECL trades at a 36.34 P/E and IFF at 23.96.
- Which has grown faster, ECL or IFF?
- Over the past five years, IFF grew revenue faster — ECL at a 7.14% CAGR versus IFF at 11.71%.
- Does ECL or IFF pay a bigger dividend?
- ECL yields 1.03% and IFF yields 2.04% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is ECL or IFF more profitable?
- ECL runs the higher net margin — ECL at 12.80% versus IFF at 7.90%.
- Which has been the better investment, ECL or IFF?
- Over the past 10-year, ECL delivered the higher annualized total return — ECL at 9.71% versus IFF at -2.30%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Ecolab P/E ratioInternational Flavors & Fragrances P/E ratioEcolab dividend yieldInternational Flavors & Fragrances dividend yieldEcolab ROEInternational Flavors & Fragrances ROEEcolab operating marginInternational Flavors & Fragrances operating marginEcolab revenue growthInternational Flavors & Fragrances revenue growthEcolab free cash flowInternational Flavors & Fragrances free cash flow
Ecolab & International Flavors & Fragrances appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 15, 2026.