VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

HOYA Corporation vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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

HOYA Corporation

7741 · Tokyo Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$8.5T
Gross margin (TTM)80.1%
Operating margin (TTM)29.5%
Net margin (TTM)23.5%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Instruments & Supplies
CountryJP
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
72/ 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 HOYA Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 7741 analysis

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

VRTX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
IndustryBiotechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-08
Moat score
99/ 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 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VRTX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for HOYA Corporation).
  • Segment focus: HOYA Corporation has 5 segments (48.2% in Eye Health Domain (healthcare-related products)); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: HOYA Corporation has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

HOYA Corporation

Eye Health Domain (healthcare-related products)

Market

Ophthalmic products (eyeglass lenses, contact lens retail, intraocular lenses)

Geography

Global (eyeglass lenses & IOL); Japan (contact lens retail)

Customer

Optical retailers, consumers, hospitals/clinics

Role

Manufacturer and retailer

Revenue share

48.2%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Market

CFTR modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis

Geography

U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada

Customer

Patients (via specialty pharmacies/payers); CF care centers

Role

Drug developer/manufacturer

Revenue share

99.9%

Side-by-side metrics

HOYA Corporation
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
7741 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$8.5T
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
80.1%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
29.5%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
23.5%
n/a
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
Industry
Medical - Instruments & Supplies
Biotechnology
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Eye Health Domain (healthcare-related products)
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
72 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

HOYA Corporation strengths

Brand TrustPhysical Network DensityCompliance AdvantageReputation ReviewsDesign In QualificationLearning Curve YieldNiche speech synthesis portfolio

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs GeneralBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

Segment mix

HOYA Corporation segments

Full profile >

Eye Health Domain (healthcare-related products)

Oligopoly

48.2%

Med-Tech Domain (medical-related products)

Oligopoly

15.4%

Electronics-related products (semiconductor/display photomask materials, HDD substrates)

Oligopoly

30.6%

Imaging-related products (optical lenses and optical materials)

Competitive

5.3%

Other (speech synthesis software)

Competitive

0.5%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Quasi-Monopoly

99.9%

Hemoglobinopathies Gene Therapy (CASGEVY)

Oligopoly

0.1%

Acute Pain (JOURNAVX)

Competitive

n/a

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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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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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.