VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Abbott Laboratories vs Ecolab Inc.

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

Abbott Laboratories

ABT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$219.2B
Gross margin (TTM)54%
Operating margin (TTM)17.7%
Net margin (TTM)31.9%
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
64/ 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 Abbott Laboratories's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ABT 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: Abbott Laboratories leads (64 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Abbott Laboratories has 7 segments (26.7% in Cardiovascular & Electrophysiology Devices); Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial).
  • Moat breadth: Abbott Laboratories has 10 moat types across 3 domains; Ecolab Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

Abbott Laboratories

Cardiovascular & Electrophysiology Devices

Market

Cardiovascular, electrophysiology, rhythm management, structural heart and heart failure devices

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, cardiologists/electrophysiologists

Role

Implantable device manufacturer

Revenue share

26.7%

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

Abbott Laboratories
Ecolab Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ABT - New York Stock Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$219.2B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
54%
44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.7%
17.3%
Net margin (TTM)
31.9%
12.5%
Sector
Healthcare
Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Cardiovascular & Electrophysiology Devices
Global Industrial
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
64 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustInstalled Base ConsumablesData Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageTraining Org Change Costs

Abbott Laboratories strengths

Procurement InertiaGovernment Contracting RelationshipsDistribution ControlScale Economies Unit CostIP Choke Point

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkLong Term Contracts

Segment mix

Abbott Laboratories segments

Full profile >

Established Pharmaceutical Products

Competitive

12.4%

Diagnostic Products

Oligopoly

22.3%

Pediatric Nutrition

Oligopoly

9.6%

Adult Nutrition

Oligopoly

10.5%

Diabetes Care (CGM & glucose monitoring)

Duopoly

16.2%

Cardiovascular & Electrophysiology Devices

Oligopoly

26.7%

Neuromodulation Devices

Oligopoly

2.3%

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?

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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.