vs

Side-by-side financial comparison of Ecolab (ECL) and Interpublic Group of Companies (The) (IPG). Click either name above to swap in a different company.

Ecolab is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($4.1B vs $2.1B, roughly 1.9× Interpublic Group of Companies (The)). Ecolab runs the higher net margin — 10.6% vs 5.8%, a 4.8% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Ecolab posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.0% vs -4.8%). Over the past eight quarters, Ecolab's revenue compounded faster (1.0% CAGR vs -9.1%).

Ecolab Inc., headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, provides products related to water treatment, sanitation, and hygiene, primarily to commercial and industrial customers.

The Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (IPG) was an American advertising company based in New York City. It consisted of the five major networks FCB, IPG Mediabrands, McCann Worldgroup, MullenLowe Group and Marketing Specialists, as well as several independent specialty agencies in the areas of public relations, sports marketing, talent representation and healthcare. Prior to the Omnicom acquisition, it was one of the "Big Four" agency companies, alongside WPP, Publicis, and Omnicom. The co...

ECL vs IPG — Head-to-Head

Bigger by revenue
ECL
ECL
1.9× larger
ECL
$4.1B
$2.1B
IPG
Growing faster (revenue YoY)
ECL
ECL
+14.8% gap
ECL
10.0%
-4.8%
IPG
Higher net margin
ECL
ECL
4.8% more per $
ECL
10.6%
5.8%
IPG
Faster 2-yr revenue CAGR
ECL
ECL
Annualised
ECL
1.0%
-9.1%
IPG

Income Statement — Q2 FY2026 vs Q3 FY2025

Metric
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Revenue
$4.1B
$2.1B
Net Profit
$432.6M
$124.2M
Gross Margin
Operating Margin
15.3%
10.3%
Net Margin
10.6%
5.8%
Revenue YoY
10.0%
-4.8%
Net Profit YoY
1.3%
517.9%
EPS (diluted)
$1.52
$0.34

Green = leading value per metric. Periods may differ when fiscal calendars don't align.

8-Quarter Revenue & Profit Trend

Side-by-side quarterly history. Quarters aligned by calendar period so offset fiscal years line up.

Revenue
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
$4.1B
Q4 25
$4.2B
Q3 25
$4.2B
$2.1B
Q2 25
$4.0B
$2.2B
Q1 25
$3.7B
$2.0B
Q4 24
$4.0B
$2.4B
Q3 24
$4.0B
$2.2B
Q2 24
$4.0B
$2.3B
Net Profit
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
$432.6M
Q4 25
$563.9M
Q3 25
$585.0M
$124.2M
Q2 25
$524.2M
$162.5M
Q1 25
$402.5M
$-85.4M
Q4 24
$472.9M
$344.5M
Q3 24
$736.5M
$20.1M
Q2 24
$490.9M
$214.5M
Gross Margin
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
Q4 25
44.0%
Q3 25
44.8%
Q2 25
44.8%
Q1 25
44.2%
-3.2%
Q4 24
43.3%
10.1%
Q3 24
43.4%
2.9%
Q2 24
43.8%
1.2%
Operating Margin
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
15.3%
Q4 25
17.0%
Q3 25
18.3%
10.3%
Q2 25
17.6%
11.2%
Q1 25
15.0%
-2.1%
Q4 24
14.6%
23.3%
Q3 24
26.1%
5.9%
Q2 24
16.5%
13.7%
Net Margin
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
10.6%
Q4 25
13.4%
Q3 25
14.0%
5.8%
Q2 25
13.0%
7.5%
Q1 25
10.9%
-4.3%
Q4 24
11.8%
14.1%
Q3 24
18.4%
0.9%
Q2 24
12.3%
9.2%
EPS (diluted)
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
$1.52
Q4 25
$1.98
Q3 25
$2.05
$0.34
Q2 25
$1.84
$0.44
Q1 25
$1.41
$-0.23
Q4 24
$1.65
$0.92
Q3 24
$2.58
$0.05
Q2 24
$1.71
$0.57

Balance Sheet & Financial Strength

Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.

Metric
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand
$519.8K
$1.5B
Total DebtLower is stronger
$8.5M
Stockholders' EquityBook value
$10.0M
$3.7B
Total Assets
$25.0M
$17.0B
Debt / EquityLower = less leverage
0.85×

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Cash + ST Investments
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
$519.8K
Q4 25
$646.2M
Q3 25
$2.0B
$1.5B
Q2 25
$1.9B
$1.6B
Q1 25
$1.2B
$1.9B
Q4 24
$1.3B
$2.2B
Q3 24
$1.3B
$1.5B
Q2 24
$384.0M
$1.5B
Total Debt
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
$8.5M
Q4 25
$7.4B
Q3 25
$8.1B
Q2 25
$7.5B
Q1 25
$7.0B
Q4 24
$6.9B
Q3 24
$7.0B
Q2 24
$7.5B
Stockholders' Equity
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
$10.0M
Q4 25
$9.8B
Q3 25
$9.7B
$3.7B
Q2 25
$9.3B
$3.7B
Q1 25
$8.9B
$3.6B
Q4 24
$8.8B
$3.8B
Q3 24
$8.5B
$3.7B
Q2 24
$8.3B
$3.8B
Total Assets
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
$25.0M
Q4 25
$24.7B
Q3 25
$23.9B
$17.0B
Q2 25
$23.7B
$17.0B
Q1 25
$22.4B
$17.1B
Q4 24
$22.4B
$18.3B
Q3 24
$22.1B
$17.1B
Q2 24
$21.5B
$17.0B
Debt / Equity
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
0.85×
Q4 25
0.75×
Q3 25
0.83×
Q2 25
0.81×
Q1 25
0.79×
Q4 24
0.79×
Q3 24
0.82×
Q2 24
0.91×

Cash Flow & Capital Efficiency

How much cash each business actually produces after reinvestment. Cash flow is harder to manipulate than net income.

Metric
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Operating Cash FlowLast quarter
$180.1M
Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex
$153.6M
FCF MarginFCF / Revenue
7.2%
Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue
1.2%
Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit
1.45×
TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters
$806.8M

8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.

Operating Cash Flow
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
Q4 25
$1.1B
Q3 25
$791.3M
$180.1M
Q2 25
$701.8M
$-96.0M
Q1 25
$369.4M
$-37.0M
Q4 24
$766.7M
$868.1M
Q3 24
$786.7M
$223.8M
Q2 24
$611.1M
$120.7M
Free Cash Flow
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
Q4 25
$758.0M
Q3 25
$529.7M
$153.6M
Q2 25
$485.1M
$-121.8M
Q1 25
$131.5M
$-58.5M
Q4 24
$407.0M
$833.5M
Q3 24
$550.3M
$186.5M
Q2 24
$414.2M
$85.9M
FCF Margin
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
Q4 25
18.1%
Q3 25
12.7%
7.2%
Q2 25
12.1%
-5.6%
Q1 25
3.6%
-2.9%
Q4 24
10.2%
34.2%
Q3 24
13.8%
8.3%
Q2 24
10.4%
3.7%
Capex Intensity
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
Q4 25
7.9%
Q3 25
6.3%
1.2%
Q2 25
5.4%
1.2%
Q1 25
6.4%
1.1%
Q4 24
9.0%
1.4%
Q3 24
5.9%
1.7%
Q2 24
4.9%
1.5%
Cash Conversion
ECL
ECL
IPG
IPG
Q2 26
Q4 25
1.93×
Q3 25
1.35×
1.45×
Q2 25
1.34×
-0.59×
Q1 25
0.92×
Q4 24
1.62×
2.52×
Q3 24
1.07×
11.13×
Q2 24
1.24×
0.56×

Financial Flow Comparison

Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.

Revenue Breakdown by Segment

ECL
ECL

Product and equipment sales$3.2B78%
Service and lease sales$891.5M22%

IPG
IPG

MDE$619.0M29%
IAC$574.9M27%
Other$527.9M25%
SCE$413.8M19%

Related Comparisons