VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs Intercontinental Exchange, 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

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

ICE · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$95.1B
Gross margin (TTM)55.4%
Operating margin (TTM)38.1%
Net margin (TTM)25.2%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Data & Stock Exchanges
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
87/ 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 Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ICE analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. leads (87 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Alcon Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has 3 segments (53.4% in Exchanges).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has 10 across 4.

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%

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

Exchanges

Market

Derivatives, cash equities, and listings exchanges plus central clearing (CCP) services

Geography

Global

Customer

Market participants (banks, broker-dealers, asset managers, proprietary traders) and issuers

Role

Exchange operator + clearing house (CCP)

Revenue share

53.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
ICE - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$95.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
55.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
38.1%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
25.2%
Sector
Healthcare
Financials
Industry
n/a
Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Surgical
Exchanges
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
75% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
71 / 100
87 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Network, Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance AdvantageBrand Trust

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingService Field NetworkProcurement InertiaCapex Knowhow Scale

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. strengths

Clearing SettlementConcession LicenseTwo Sided NetworkData Workflow LockinData Network EffectsPhysical Network DensityInteroperability HubStandards Registry

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Exchanges

Oligopoly

53.4%

Fixed Income and Data Services

Oligopoly

24.8%

Mortgage Technology

Oligopoly

21.8%

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.

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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.