RTO vs SHW vs ROL vs PPG vs ECL

For growth investors, Rollins, Inc.

(ROL) is the stronger pick with 11. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -5. 5% for Rentokil Initial plc (RTO). PPG Industries, Inc. (PPG) offers the better valuation at 15. 8x trailing P/E (13. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Rentokil Initial plc (RTO) a "Buy" — based on 6 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, PPG Industries, Inc.

(PPG) is the cheapest at 15. 8x versus Rollins, Inc. at 49. 4x. On forward P/E, PPG Industries, Inc. is actually cheaper at 13. 9x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: PPG Industries, Inc. wins at 1. 51x versus Rentokil Initial plc's 4. 48x — a reasonable growth-adjusted valuation.

Over the past 5 years, Rollins, Inc.

(ROL) delivered a total return of +51. 9%, compared to -32. 0% for PPG Industries, Inc. (PPG). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ROL returned +378. 0% versus PPG's +22. 3%. 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), Rollins, Inc.

(ROL) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 23β versus PPG Industries, Inc. 's 1. 11β — meaning PPG is approximately 380% more volatile than ROL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Ecolab Inc. (ECL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 96% versus 3% for The Sherwin-Williams Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(ROL) is pulling ahead at 11. 0% versus -5. 5% for Rentokil Initial plc (RTO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: PPG Industries, Inc. grew EPS 45. 7% year-over-year, compared to -2. 7% for The Sherwin-Williams Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, ROL leads at 11. 7% 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.

Rollins, Inc.

(ROL) is the more profitable company, earning 14. 0% net margin versus 6. 8% for Rentokil Initial plc — meaning it keeps 14. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ROL leads at 19. 4% versus 13. 7% for PPG. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ROL leads at 49. 4%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, PPG Industries, Inc. (PPG) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 1. 51x versus Rentokil Initial plc's 4. 48x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, PPG Industries, Inc. (PPG) trades at 13. 9x forward P/E versus 44. 2x for Rollins, Inc. — 30. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ECL: 28. 7% to $327. 11.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

PPG Industries, Inc. (PPG) offers the highest yield at 2. 5%, versus 1. 0% for The Sherwin-Williams Company (SHW).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Rollins, Inc.

(ROL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 23), 1. 3% yield, +378. 0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ROL: +378. 0%, PPG: +22. 3%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (RTO (Industrials) and SHW (Basic Materials) and ROL (Consumer Cyclical) and PPG (Basic Materials) and ECL (Basic Materials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: RTO is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; SHW is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; ROL is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; PPG is a mid-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.