VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Baidu, Inc. vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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)$372.8B
Gross margin (TTM)44.7%
Operating margin (TTM)-2.6%
Net margin (TTM)6.9%
SectorTechnology
IndustryInternet Content & Information
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

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 71 / 100 for Baidu, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Baidu, Inc. has 4 segments (54.5% in Online Marketing (Search & Feed Ads)); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Baidu, Inc. has 10 moat types across 4 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

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%

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

Baidu, Inc.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
9888 - The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$372.8B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.7%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
-2.6%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
6.9%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Healthcare
Industry
Internet Content & Information
Biotechnology
HQ country
CN
US
Primary segment
Online Marketing (Search & Feed Ads)
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
62%-66% (reported)
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
71 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Network, Supply, Legal
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Regulated Standards Pipe

Baidu, Inc. strengths

Habit DefaultBrand TrustEcosystem ComplementsCapex Knowhow ScaleData Workflow LockinLearning Curve YieldContent Rights CurrencyScale Economies Unit CostData Network Effects

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs GeneralBenchmark Pricing PowerService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

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%

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?

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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.