VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited vs Ecolab Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited

2330 · Taiwan Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)59%
Operating margin (TTM)49.5%
Net margin (TTM)43.7%
SectorTechnology
CountryTW
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
92/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 2330 analysis

Ecolab Inc.

ECL · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)17.3%
Net margin (TTM)12.5%
SectorMaterials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
63/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Ecolab Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ECL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited leads (92 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited has 3 segments (74% in Leading-edge Foundry (7nm and below)); Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Ecolab Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited

Leading-edge Foundry (7nm and below)

Market

Leading-edge semiconductor foundry services (<=7nm logic process technologies)

Geography

Global

Customer

Fabless semiconductor companies, system companies, and IDMs

Role

Dedicated foundry / contract manufacturer

Revenue share

74%

Ecolab Inc.

Global Industrial

Market

Industrial water treatment & process chemistry (incl. food & beverage processing and pulp & paper process aids)

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B

Role

formulator + on-site service/optimization provider

Revenue share

49.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
Ecolab Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
2330 - Taiwan Stock Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
59%
44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
49.5%
17.3%
Net margin (TTM)
43.7%
12.5%
Sector
Technology
Materials
HQ country
TW
US
Primary segment
Leading-edge Foundry (7nm and below)
Global Industrial
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
70%-72% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
5,165
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
92 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Network, Demand, Financial
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleEcosystem ComplementsDesign In QualificationBenchmark Pricing PowerScope EconomiesOperational ExcellenceKeystone Component

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change CostsBrand Trust

Segment mix

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited segments

Full profile >

Leading-edge Foundry (7nm and below)

Quasi-Monopoly

74%

Mature & Specialty Foundry (16nm and above + specialty processes)

Oligopoly

26%

Advanced Packaging & 3DFabric (CoWoS, InFO, SoIC)

Oligopoly

n/a

Ecolab Inc. segments

Full profile >

Global Industrial

Oligopoly

49.5%

Global Institutional & Specialty

Oligopoly

34.1%

Global Healthcare & Life Sciences

Oligopoly

9%

Global Pest Elimination

Oligopoly

7.4%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.