BF.B vs ECL: Correlation
Measured on weekly returns over the past three years, Brown–Forman (BF.B) and Ecolab (ECL) carry a correlation of 0.44, a moderate link.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are BF.B and ECL?
Across a 3-year window, the weekly returns of BF.B and ECL correlate at 0.44, moderate. Recent behaviour matches the longer record: 0.45 over 1 year against 0.44 over 3. Stretching to 5 years gives 0.42, with an annualized covariance of 295.2 %².
By 3-year correlation, ECL places #14 of the 36 assets tracked against BF.B. Over the last 12 months ECL came out ahead by 10.5 percentage points (-7.4% against +3.1%). Across three years, the rolling one-year figure varied moderately, from 0.30 to 0.61. One caveat on sizing: BF.B is 1.7 times as volatile as the other leg, so an equal-dollar split is far from equal-risk.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
BF.B vs ECL: side by side
| BF.B (Brown–Forman) | ECL (Ecolab) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | -7.4% | +3.1% |
| 5-year return | -56.8% | +34.0% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 34.0% | 19.5% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.51 | 0.64 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -64.8% | -20.1% |
| Market cap | $12.5B | $80.1B |
| P/E (trailing) | 18.3 | 39.1 |
| Dividend yield | 3.26% | 0.98% |
| Sector / category | Consumer Staples | Materials |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | BF.B | ECL |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -8.9% | -37.1% |
| 2023 | -11.9% | +37.9% |
| 2024 | -32.2% | +19.3% |
| 2025 | -29.3% | +13.2% |
| 2026 | +6.6% | +9.5% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are BF.B and ECL good diversifiers for each other?
Yes, to a useful degree: a correlation of 0.44 leaves real independence between the two, which historically damped combined volatility.
FAQ
What is the correlation between BF.B and ECL?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between BF.B and ECL is 0.44 over 3 years, 0.45 over 1 year and 0.42 over 5 years.
Is ECL a good diversifier for BF.B?
Yes, to a useful degree: a correlation of 0.44 leaves real independence between the two, which historically damped combined volatility.
What does a correlation of 0.44 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.44 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/bf-b-vs-ecl.json
Markdown for the live badge, attribution link included:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/bf-b-vs-ecl/)
Free with attribution; caching and terms are described in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: BF.B correlations · ECL correlations