VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs CDW Corporation

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

CDW Corporation

CDW · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$17.4B
Gross margin (TTM)21.6%
Operating margin (TTM)7.4%
Net margin (TTM)4.8%
SectorTechnology
IndustryInformation Technology Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
52/ 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 CDW Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CDW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alcon Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 52 / 100 for CDW Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); CDW Corporation has 4 segments (42.1% in Corporate).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; CDW Corporation has 6 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%

CDW Corporation

Corporate

Market

IT solutions provider / value-added reseller (VAR) + services for U.S. private-sector businesses (250+ employees)

Geography

United States

Customer

Private-sector enterprises (mid-market and large)

Role

Value-added reseller / systems integrator

Revenue share

42.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
CDW Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
CDW - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$17.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
21.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
7.4%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
4.8%
Sector
Healthcare
Technology
Industry
n/a
Information Technology Services
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Surgical
Corporate
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
71 / 100
52 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-10
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkProcurement Inertia

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingCompliance AdvantageBrand TrustCapex Knowhow Scale

CDW Corporation strengths

Scope EconomiesPreferential Input AccessOperational ExcellenceGovernment Contracting Relationships

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

CDW Corporation segments

Full profile >

Corporate

Competitive

42.1%

Small Business

Competitive

7.3%

Public

Competitive

38.8%

Other (UK & Canada)

Competitive

11.8%

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.