VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs Constellation Software 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

Constellation Software Inc.

CSU · Toronto Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$70.5B
Gross margin (TTM)50.8%
Operating margin (TTM)10%
Net margin (TTM)6.2%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySoftware - Application
CountryCA
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
74/ 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 Constellation Software Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CSU analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Constellation Software Inc. leads (74 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Alcon Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Constellation Software Inc. has 6 segments.
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Constellation Software Inc. has 3 across 2.

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%

Constellation Software Inc.

Volaris Operating Group

Market

Vertical market software (VMS) portfolios across diverse industries (Volaris)

Geography

Global (North America, Continental Europe, UK, Australia, South America, Africa)

Customer

Organizations in specific verticals (mix of public and private sector)

Role

Vertical market software vendor (application provider + long-term maintainer)

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
Constellation Software Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
CSU - Toronto Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$70.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
50.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
10%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
6.2%
Sector
Healthcare
Technology
Industry
n/a
Software - Application
HQ country
CH
CA
Primary segment
Surgical
Volaris Operating Group
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-10
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Installed Base Consumables

Alcon Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageBrand TrustProcurement InertiaCapex Knowhow Scale

Constellation Software Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralOperational Excellence

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

Constellation Software Inc. segments

Full profile >

Volaris Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Harris Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Topicus.com Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Jonas Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Perseus Operating Group

Competitive

n/a

Vela Operating Group

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.