VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs Halma 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

Halma plc

HLMA · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$13.8B
Gross margin (TTM)29.3%
Operating margin (TTM)15%
Net margin (TTM)13.9%
SectorTechnology
IndustryConglomerates
CountryGB
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
59/ 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 Halma plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HLMA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alcon Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 59 / 100 for Halma plc).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Halma plc has 3 segments (40% in Safety).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Halma plc has 4 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%

Halma plc

Safety

Market

Safety technologies (fire safety, public safety, worker safety, and protection of critical assets/infrastructure)

Geography

Global

Customer

Commercial/industrial facility owners and operators; infrastructure operators; installers and OEM channels

Role

Technology OEM / component + systems supplier

Revenue share

40%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
Halma plc
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
HLMA - London Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$13.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
29.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
15%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
13.9%
Sector
Healthcare
Technology
Industry
n/a
Conglomerates
HQ country
CH
GB
Primary segment
Surgical
Safety
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
59 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Legal, Demand
Last update
2026-01-10
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance AdvantageProcurement Inertia

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingService Field NetworkBrand TrustCapex Knowhow Scale

Halma plc strengths

Design In QualificationSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

Halma plc segments

Full profile >

Safety

Competitive

40%

Environmental & Analysis

Competitive

35%

Healthcare

Competitive

25%

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.