VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs GSK plc

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

GSK plc

GSK · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$75.9B
Gross margin (TTM)72.4%
Operating margin (TTM)23.5%
Net margin (TTM)17.1%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
CountryGB
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
62/ 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 GSK plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GSK analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alcon Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 62 / 100 for GSK plc).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); GSK plc has 3 segments (37.6% in Specialty Medicines).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; GSK plc has 4 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%

GSK plc

Specialty Medicines

Market

Branded specialty pharmaceuticals (HIV, oncology, immunology/respiratory)

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals, specialist physicians, payers

Role

Innovator & branded manufacturer

Revenue share

37.6%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
GSK plc
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
GSK - London Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$75.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
72.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
23.5%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
17.1%
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
Industry
n/a
Drug Manufacturers - General
HQ country
CH
GB
Primary segment
Surgical
Specialty Medicines
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
71 / 100
62 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance AdvantageCapex Knowhow Scale

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingService Field NetworkBrand TrustProcurement Inertia

GSK plc strengths

IP Choke PointSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

GSK plc segments

Full profile >

Vaccines

Oligopoly

29.1%

Specialty Medicines

Oligopoly

37.6%

General Medicines

Competitive

33.2%

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

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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.