VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Alibaba Group Holding Limited vs Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

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

Alibaba Group Holding Limited

9988.HK · The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited

Market cap (USD)
SectorConsumer
CountryKY
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
56/ 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 Alibaba Group Holding Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 9988.HK analysis

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

ISRG · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
83/ 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 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ISRG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. leads (83 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Alibaba Group Holding Limited).
  • Segment focus: Alibaba Group Holding Limited has 7 segments (41% in Taobao and Tmall Group); Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Alibaba Group Holding Limited has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 across 4.

Primary market context

Alibaba Group Holding Limited

Taobao and Tmall Group

Market

China online retail marketplaces & merchant services (Taobao, Tmall, 1688)

Geography

China

Customer

Consumers and merchants/brands

Role

Marketplace + advertising/merchant services

Revenue share

41%

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Instruments and Accessories

Market

Proprietary robotic surgery instruments, accessories, and consumables used per procedure on the da Vinci (and Ion) installed base

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals and surgery centers purchasing consumables; surgeons and OR teams as end users

Role

Consumables OEM within proprietary platform

Revenue share

60.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Alibaba Group Holding Limited
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
9988.HK - The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
ISRG - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
HQ country
KY
US
Primary segment
Taobao and Tmall Group
Instruments and Accessories
Market structure
Oligopoly
Monopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
56 / 100
83 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Supply, Demand
Supply, Demand, Network, Legal
Last update
2025-12-29
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Ecosystem ComplementsCapex Knowhow Scale

Alibaba Group Holding Limited strengths

Two Sided NetworkSwitching Costs GeneralSupply Chain ControlBrand Trust

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths

Training Org Change CostsProcurement InertiaInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointService Field NetworkData Workflow LockinLong Term Contracts

Segment mix

Alibaba Group Holding Limited segments

Full profile >

Taobao and Tmall Group

Oligopoly

41%

Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group

Competitive

12.1%

Cloud Intelligence Group (Alibaba Cloud)

Oligopoly

10.8%

Cainiao Smart Logistics Network Limited

Competitive

9.2%

Local Services Group

Oligopoly

6.1%

Digital Media and Entertainment Group

Competitive

2%

All Others

Competitive

18.8%

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Systems

Quasi-Monopoly

23.5%

Instruments and Accessories

Monopoly

60.8%

Services

Monopoly

15.6%

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.