VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Sunday, January 11, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs W.W. Grainger, 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

W.W. Grainger, Inc.

GWW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$49B
Gross margin (TTM)39.1%
Operating margin (TTM)14.1%
Net margin (TTM)9.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
65/ 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 W.W. Grainger, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GWW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alcon Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for W.W. Grainger, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 3 segments (79.9% in High-Touch Solutions N.A.).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 5 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%

W.W. Grainger, Inc.

High-Touch Solutions N.A.

Market

MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) products distribution and value-added inventory/procurement solutions

Geography

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico)

Customer

Mid-size and large businesses with complex purchasing operations; also government and institutions

Role

Distributor / wholesaler + onsite inventory services

Revenue share

79.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
GWW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$49B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
39.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
14.1%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
9.8%
Sector
Healthcare
Industrials
Industry
n/a
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Surgical
High-Touch Solutions N.A.
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
65 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-10
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field Network

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingCompliance AdvantageBrand TrustProcurement InertiaCapex Knowhow Scale

W.W. Grainger, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinScale Economies Unit CostScope EconomiesOperational Excellence

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

W.W. Grainger, Inc. segments

Full profile >

High-Touch Solutions N.A.

Competitive

79.9%

Endless Assortment

Competitive

18.3%

Other (Cromwell U.K. + captive insurance)

Competitive

1.8%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

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.