VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

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Stock Comparison

ABB Ltd vs Ecolab Inc.

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

ABB Ltd

ABBN · SIX Swiss Exchange

Market cap (USD)$136.3B
Gross margin (TTM)39.4%
Operating margin (TTM)17.2%
Net margin (TTM)12.9%
SectorIndustrials
CountryCH
Data as of2025-12-31
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 ABB Ltd's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ABBN 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: ABB Ltd leads (73 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: ABB Ltd has 4 segments (46.2% in Electrification); Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial).
  • Moat breadth: ABB Ltd has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Ecolab Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

ABB Ltd

Electrification

Market

Low- and medium-voltage electrification equipment and solutions

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B/B2G

Role

Manufacturer and solutions provider; channel-led distribution; after-sales service

Revenue share

46.2%

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

ABB Ltd
Ecolab Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ABBN - SIX Swiss Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$136.3B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
39.4%
44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.2%
17.3%
Net margin (TTM)
12.9%
12.5%
Sector
Industrials
Materials
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Electrification
Global Industrial
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
73 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Network
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustService Field NetworkData Workflow LockinInstalled Base Consumables

ABB Ltd strengths

Distribution ControlEcosystem Complements

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Compliance AdvantageLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change Costs

Segment mix

ABB Ltd segments

Full profile >

Electrification

Oligopoly

46.2%

Motion

Oligopoly

22%

Process Automation

Oligopoly

20.5%

Robotics & Discrete Automation

Oligopoly

9.8%

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.