VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 3, 2026

Stock Comparison

Keyence Corporation vs Merck & Co., Inc.

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

Keyence Corporation

6861.T · Tokyo Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$87.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorTechnology
Industry
CountryJP
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
73/ 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 Keyence Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 6861.T analysis

Merck & Co., Inc.

MRK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$266.4B
Gross margin (TTM)78.3%
Operating margin (TTM)36.4%
Net margin (TTM)29.6%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
Moat score
71/ 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 Merck & Co., Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MRK analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Keyence Corporation leads (73 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Merck & Co., Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Keyence Corporation has 3 segments; Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Keyence Corporation has 7 moat types across 2 domains; Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 across 3.

Primary market context

Keyence Corporation

Sensors & Safety/Static Control

Market

Industrial sensors and safety/static control for factory automation

Geography

Global

Customer

Manufacturers (production/automation teams) and machine builders

Role

Component OEM and application-solution provider

Merck & Co., Inc.

Pharmaceutical

Market

Branded prescription pharmaceuticals & human vaccines

Geography

Global

Customer

Wholesalers/retailers, managed care and government payers, hospitals/clinics

Role

R&D-intensive innovator, manufacturer, and marketer

Revenue share

89.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Keyence Corporation
Merck & Co., Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
6861.T - Tokyo Stock Exchange
MRK - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$87.6B
$266.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
78.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
36.4%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
29.6%
Sector
Technology
Healthcare
Industry
n/a
Drug Manufacturers - General
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Sensors & Safety/Static Control
Pharmaceutical
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
73 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scope Economies

Keyence Corporation strengths

Service Field NetworkDesign In QualificationLearning Curve YieldOperational ExcellenceDistribution ControlBrand Trust

Merck & Co., Inc. strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeCapex Knowhow ScaleData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Keyence Corporation segments

Full profile >

Sensors & Safety/Static Control

Oligopoly

n/a

Machine Vision, Code Reading & Laser Marking

Oligopoly

n/a

Metrology & Microscopes

Oligopoly

n/a

Merck & Co., Inc. segments

Full profile >

Pharmaceutical

Competitive

89.5%

Animal Health

Oligopoly

9.2%

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.