NEU vs ECL

For growth investors, Ecolab Inc.

(ECL) is the stronger pick with 2. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -2. 2% for NewMarket Corporation (NEU). NewMarket Corporation (NEU) offers the better valuation at 15. 3x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ecolab Inc. (ECL) a "Buy" — based on 37 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, NewMarket Corporation (NEU) is the cheapest at 15.

3x versus Ecolab Inc. at 35. 2x.

Over the past 5 years, NewMarket Corporation (NEU) delivered a total return of +106.

1%, compared to +17. 3% for Ecolab Inc. (ECL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ECL returned +139. 5% versus NEU's +88. 5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), NewMarket Corporation (NEU) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

56β versus Ecolab Inc. 's 0. 63β — meaning ECL is approximately 11% more volatile than NEU relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, NewMarket Corporation (NEU) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 54% versus 96% for Ecolab Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Ecolab Inc.

(ECL) is pulling ahead at 2. 2% versus -2. 2% for NewMarket Corporation (NEU). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Ecolab Inc. grew EPS -1. 2% year-over-year, compared to -7. 8% for NewMarket Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, ECL leads at 4. 3% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

NewMarket Corporation (NEU) is the more profitable company, earning 15.

4% net margin versus 12. 9% for Ecolab Inc. — meaning it keeps 15. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NEU leads at 20. 0% versus 18. 1% for ECL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ECL leads at 44. 5%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

NewMarket Corporation (NEU) offers the highest yield at 1. 7%, versus 1. 0% for Ecolab Inc. (ECL).

For long-horizon retirement investors, NewMarket Corporation (NEU) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

56), 1. 7% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NEU: +88. 5%, ECL: +139. 5%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Basic Materials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: NEU is a small-cap deep-value stock; ECL is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.