VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs Caterpillar 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

Caterpillar Inc.

CAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$289.3B
Gross margin (TTM)33.9%
Operating margin (TTM)17.7%
Net margin (TTM)14.3%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAgricultural - Machinery
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-25
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 Caterpillar Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CAT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alcon Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 68 / 100 for Caterpillar Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Caterpillar Inc. has 5 segments (40.7% in Energy & Transportation).
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Caterpillar Inc. has 9 across 4.

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%

Caterpillar Inc.

Energy & Transportation

Market

Off-highway engines, power generation, turbines, locomotives and related services

Geography

Global

Customer

Energy companies, industrial customers, OEMs, rail and marine operators

Role

OEM + aftermarket parts/service

Revenue share

40.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
Caterpillar Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
CAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$289.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
33.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
17.7%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
14.3%
Sector
Healthcare
Industrials
Industry
n/a
Agricultural - Machinery
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Surgical
Energy & Transportation
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
Supply, Demand, Financial, Network
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-25

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingService Field NetworkBrand TrustCapex Knowhow Scale

Alcon Inc. strengths

Compliance AdvantageProcurement Inertia

Caterpillar Inc. strengths

Distribution ControlDesign In QualificationUnderwriting Risk PoolingEcosystem Complements

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

Caterpillar Inc. segments

Full profile >

Construction Industries

Oligopoly

35.9%

Resource Industries

Oligopoly

17.5%

Energy & Transportation

Oligopoly

40.7%

Financial Products

Competitive

5.3%

All Other

Competitive

0.6%

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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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.