Investors interested in Basic Materials stocks should always be looking to find the best-performing companies in the group. Ecolab (ECL) is a stock that can certainly grab the attention of many investors, but do its recent returns compare favorably to the sector as a whole? By taking a look at the stock's year-to-date performance in comparison to its Basic Materials peers, we might be able to answer that question. Ecolab is one of 240 companies in the Basic Materials group. The Basic Materials group current ...