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Side-by-side financial comparison of Ecolab (ECL) and Illinois Tool Works (ITW). Click either name above to swap in a different company.
Illinois Tool Works is the larger business by last-quarter revenue ($4.1B vs $4.1B, roughly 1.0× Ecolab). Illinois Tool Works runs the higher net margin — 19.3% vs 10.6%, a 8.7% gap on every dollar of revenue. On growth, Ecolab posted the faster year-over-year revenue change (10.0% vs 4.1%). Over the past eight quarters, Illinois Tool Works's revenue compounded faster (1.5% CAGR vs 1.0%).
Ecolab Inc., headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, provides products related to water treatment, sanitation, and hygiene, primarily to commercial and industrial customers.
Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) is an American Fortune 500 company that produces engineered fasteners and components, equipment and consumable systems, and specialty products. It was founded in 1912 by Byron L. Smith and has built its growth on a "small-wins strategy" based on decentralization, simplicity, customer-focused innovation, and acquisitions.
ECL vs ITW — Head-to-Head
Income Statement — Q2 FY2026 vs Q4 FY2025
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $4.1B | $4.1B |
| Net Profit | $432.6M | $790.0M |
| Gross Margin | — | 53.0% |
| Operating Margin | 15.3% | 26.5% |
| Net Margin | 10.6% | 19.3% |
| Revenue YoY | 10.0% | 4.1% |
| Net Profit YoY | 1.3% | 5.3% |
| EPS (diluted) | $1.52 | $2.72 |
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.
| Q2 26 | $4.1B | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $4.2B | $4.1B | ||
| Q3 25 | $4.2B | $4.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $4.0B | $4.1B | ||
| Q1 25 | $3.7B | $3.8B | ||
| Q4 24 | $4.0B | $3.9B | ||
| Q3 24 | $4.0B | $4.0B | ||
| Q2 24 | $4.0B | $4.0B |
| Q2 26 | $432.6M | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $563.9M | $790.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $585.0M | $821.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $524.2M | $755.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $402.5M | $700.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $472.9M | $750.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $736.5M | $1.2B | ||
| Q2 24 | $490.9M | $759.0M |
| Q2 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 44.0% | 53.0% | ||
| Q3 25 | 44.8% | 53.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 44.8% | 52.8% | ||
| Q1 25 | 44.2% | 52.6% | ||
| Q4 24 | 43.3% | 52.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | 43.4% | 52.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | 43.8% | 52.3% |
| Q2 26 | 15.3% | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 17.0% | 26.5% | ||
| Q3 25 | 18.3% | 27.4% | ||
| Q2 25 | 17.6% | 26.4% | ||
| Q1 25 | 15.0% | 24.8% | ||
| Q4 24 | 14.6% | 26.2% | ||
| Q3 24 | 26.1% | 26.5% | ||
| Q2 24 | 16.5% | 26.2% |
| Q2 26 | 10.6% | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 13.4% | 19.3% | ||
| Q3 25 | 14.0% | 20.2% | ||
| Q2 25 | 13.0% | 18.6% | ||
| Q1 25 | 10.9% | 18.2% | ||
| Q4 24 | 11.8% | 19.1% | ||
| Q3 24 | 18.4% | 29.2% | ||
| Q2 24 | 12.3% | 18.8% |
| Q2 26 | $1.52 | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $1.98 | $2.72 | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.05 | $2.81 | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.84 | $2.58 | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.41 | $2.38 | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.65 | $2.53 | ||
| Q3 24 | $2.58 | $3.91 | ||
| Q2 24 | $1.71 | $2.54 |
Balance Sheet & Financial Strength
Snapshot of each company's liquidity, leverage and book value from the latest quarter.
| Metric | | |
|---|---|---|
| Cash + ST InvestmentsLiquidity on hand | $519.8K | $851.0M |
| Total DebtLower is stronger | $8.5M | $7.7B |
| Stockholders' EquityBook value | $10.0M | $3.2B |
| Total Assets | $25.0M | $16.1B |
| Debt / EquityLower = less leverage | 0.85× | 2.38× |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q2 26 | $519.8K | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $646.2M | $851.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $2.0B | $924.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $1.9B | $788.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $1.2B | $873.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $1.3B | $948.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $1.3B | $947.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $384.0M | $862.0M |
| Q2 26 | $8.5M | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $7.4B | $7.7B | ||
| Q3 25 | $8.1B | — | ||
| Q2 25 | $7.5B | — | ||
| Q1 25 | $7.0B | — | ||
| Q4 24 | $6.9B | $7.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $7.0B | — | ||
| Q2 24 | $7.5B | — |
| Q2 26 | $10.0M | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $9.8B | $3.2B | ||
| Q3 25 | $9.7B | $3.2B | ||
| Q2 25 | $9.3B | $3.2B | ||
| Q1 25 | $8.9B | $3.2B | ||
| Q4 24 | $8.8B | $3.3B | ||
| Q3 24 | $8.5B | $3.4B | ||
| Q2 24 | $8.3B | $3.0B |
| Q2 26 | $25.0M | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $24.7B | $16.1B | ||
| Q3 25 | $23.9B | $16.1B | ||
| Q2 25 | $23.7B | $16.0B | ||
| Q1 25 | $22.4B | $15.5B | ||
| Q4 24 | $22.4B | $15.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $22.1B | $15.8B | ||
| Q2 24 | $21.5B | $15.6B |
| Q2 26 | 0.85× | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 0.75× | 2.38× | ||
| Q3 25 | 0.83× | — | ||
| Q2 25 | 0.81× | — | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.79× | — | ||
| Q4 24 | 0.79× | 2.14× | ||
| 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 | | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating Cash FlowLast quarter | — | $963.0M |
| Free Cash FlowOCF − Capex | — | $858.0M |
| FCF MarginFCF / Revenue | — | 21.0% |
| Capex IntensityCapex / Revenue | — | 2.6% |
| Cash ConversionOCF / Net Profit | — | 1.22× |
| TTM Free Cash FlowTrailing 4 quarters | — | $2.7B |
8-quarter trend — quarters aligned by calendar period.
| Q2 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $1.1B | $963.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $791.3M | $1.0B | ||
| Q2 25 | $701.8M | $550.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $369.4M | $592.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $766.7M | $1.1B | ||
| Q3 24 | $786.7M | $891.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $611.1M | $687.0M |
| Q2 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | $758.0M | $858.0M | ||
| Q3 25 | $529.7M | $904.0M | ||
| Q2 25 | $485.1M | $449.0M | ||
| Q1 25 | $131.5M | $496.0M | ||
| Q4 24 | $407.0M | $996.0M | ||
| Q3 24 | $550.3M | $783.0M | ||
| Q2 24 | $414.2M | $571.0M |
| Q2 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 18.1% | 21.0% | ||
| Q3 25 | 12.7% | 22.3% | ||
| Q2 25 | 12.1% | 11.1% | ||
| Q1 25 | 3.6% | 12.9% | ||
| Q4 24 | 10.2% | 25.3% | ||
| Q3 24 | 13.8% | 19.7% | ||
| Q2 24 | 10.4% | 14.2% |
| Q2 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 7.9% | 2.6% | ||
| Q3 25 | 6.3% | 2.9% | ||
| Q2 25 | 5.4% | 2.5% | ||
| Q1 25 | 6.4% | 2.5% | ||
| Q4 24 | 9.0% | 3.0% | ||
| Q3 24 | 5.9% | 2.7% | ||
| Q2 24 | 4.9% | 2.9% |
| Q2 26 | — | — | ||
| Q4 25 | 1.93× | 1.22× | ||
| Q3 25 | 1.35× | 1.24× | ||
| Q2 25 | 1.34× | 0.73× | ||
| Q1 25 | 0.92× | 0.85× | ||
| Q4 24 | 1.62× | 1.49× | ||
| Q3 24 | 1.07× | 0.77× | ||
| Q2 24 | 1.24× | 0.91× |
Financial Flow Comparison
Revenue → gross profit → operating profit → net profit for each company.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
ECL
| Product and equipment sales | $3.2B | 78% |
| Service and lease sales | $891.5M | 22% |
ITW
Segment breakdown not available.
