VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs ANSYS, Inc.

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

Alcon Inc.

ALC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$39.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryCH
Data as of2026-01-10
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 Alcon Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ALC analysis

ANSYS, Inc.

ANSS · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$32.9B
Gross margin (TTM)88.8%
Operating margin (TTM)28.9%
Net margin (TTM)23%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySoftware - Application
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
68/ 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 ANSYS, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ANSS analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alcon Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 68 / 100 for ANSYS, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); ANSYS, Inc. has 3 segments.
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; ANSYS, Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

Alcon Inc.

Surgical

Market

Ophthalmic surgical devices (implantables, consumables, equipment) and related service/training

Geography

Global

Customer

Ophthalmic surgeons, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, group purchasing organizations

Role

Medical device OEM with direct service, clinical support, and training

Revenue share

56%

ANSYS, Inc.

Core Multiphysics Simulation Platform (CAE)

Market

Multiphysics engineering simulation (CAE) software

Geography

Global

Customer

Enterprises and academia

Role

Engineering design, verification, and validation software

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
ANSYS, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
ANSS - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$32.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
88.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
28.9%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
23%
Sector
Healthcare
Technology
Industry
n/a
Software - Application
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Surgical
Core Multiphysics Simulation Platform (CAE)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
68 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Network, Legal
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Suite BundlingCompliance Advantage

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesService Field NetworkBrand TrustProcurement InertiaCapex Knowhow Scale

ANSYS, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralData Workflow LockinDesign In QualificationDe Facto StandardEcosystem Complements

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

ANSYS, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core Multiphysics Simulation Platform (CAE)

Oligopoly

n/a

Electronics & Semiconductor Simulation (EDA-adjacent)

Oligopoly

n/a

Digital Mission Engineering & Safety-Critical Tooling

Competitive

n/a

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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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.