VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Stock Comparison
Alcon Inc. vs Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Alcon Inc.
ALC · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
CDNS · NASDAQ
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Cadence Design Systems, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View CDNS analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Cadence Design Systems, Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Alcon Inc.).
- Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 3 segments (71% in Core EDA).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
- Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Cadence Design Systems, Inc. has 8 across 3.
Primary market context
Alcon Inc.
Surgical
Ophthalmic surgical devices (implantables, consumables, equipment) and related service/training
Global
Ophthalmic surgeons, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, group purchasing organizations
Medical device OEM with direct service, clinical support, and training
56%
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
Core EDA
Electronic design automation tools for semiconductor IC design and verification (digital, custom/analog, signoff, functional verification)
Global
Semiconductor designers (fabless and IDMs) and system companies with in-house silicon teams
Tool vendor / workflow platform
71%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Alcon Inc. strengths
Cadence Design Systems, Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Alcon Inc. segments
Full profile >Surgical
Oligopoly
Vision Care
Oligopoly
Cadence Design Systems, Inc. segments
Full profile >Core EDA
Oligopoly
Semiconductor IP
Oligopoly
System Design and Analysis
Competitive
Want the full wide moat stocks list?
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View the moat stocks listLooking for expansion-stage stocks?
Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.
View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.