VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Baidu, Inc. vs Ecolab Inc.

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

Baidu, Inc.

9888 · The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)44.7%
Operating margin (TTM)-2.6%
Net margin (TTM)6.9%
SectorTechnology
CountryCN
Data as of2025-12-28
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 Baidu, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 9888 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: Baidu, Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Baidu, Inc. has 4 segments (54.5% in Online Marketing (Search & Feed Ads)); Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Baidu, Inc. has 10 moat types across 4 domains; Ecolab Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

Baidu, Inc.

Online Marketing (Search & Feed Ads)

Market

Chinese-language search and feed-based online marketing services

Geography

Mainland China

Customer

Advertisers (SMEs and larger enterprises) buying performance-based and feed ads

Role

Search + feed platform operator / ad marketplace

Revenue share

54.5%

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

Baidu, Inc.
Ecolab Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
9888 - The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
44.7%
44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
-2.6%
17.3%
Net margin (TTM)
6.9%
12.5%
Sector
Technology
Materials
HQ country
CN
US
Primary segment
Online Marketing (Search & Feed Ads)
Global Industrial
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
62%-66% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Network, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustData Workflow Lockin

Baidu, Inc. strengths

Habit DefaultEcosystem ComplementsCapex Knowhow ScaleLearning Curve YieldRegulated Standards PipeContent Rights CurrencyScale Economies Unit CostData Network Effects

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change Costs

Segment mix

Baidu, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Online Marketing (Search & Feed Ads)

Quasi-Monopoly

54.5%

AI Cloud (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS + GenAI APIs)

Oligopoly

16.3%

Intelligent Driving & Other Growth Initiatives

Oligopoly

7.4%

iQIYI (Online Entertainment)

Oligopoly

21.8%

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.