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 Judges Scientific 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

Judges Scientific plc

JDG · London Stock Exchange - AIM

Market cap (USD)$384.2M

Gross margin (TTM)31.8%

Operating margin (TTM)16.3%

Net margin (TTM)9.3%

SectorTechnology

IndustryHardware, Equipment & Parts

CountryGB

Data as of2026-01-06

Moat score

63/ 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 Judges Scientific plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View JDG analysis

Comparison highlights

Moat score gap: Alcon Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Judges Scientific plc).
Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Judges Scientific plc has 2 segments (51.7% in Vacuum).
Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Judges Scientific plc has 3 across 1.

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%

Judges Scientific plc

Vacuum

Market

Vacuum and surface-science related instrumentation (e.g., UHV/vacuum components and systems, thin-film/surface engineering adjacent tools)

Geography

Global

Customer

Research labs and high-tech manufacturing

Role

Equipment manufacturer

Revenue share

51.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.

Judges Scientific plc

Ticker / Exchange

ALC - New York Stock Exchange

JDG - London Stock Exchange - AIM

Market cap (USD)

$39.8B

$384.2M

Gross margin (TTM)

n/a

31.8%

Operating margin (TTM)

n/a

16.3%

Net margin (TTM)

n/a

9.3%

Sector

Healthcare

Technology

Industry

n/a

Hardware, Equipment & Parts

HQ country

Primary segment

Surgical

Vacuum

Market structure

Oligopoly

Competitive

Market share

40%-46% (implied)

n/a

HHI estimate

n/a

Pricing power

Moderate

Moat score

71 / 100

63 / 100

Moat domains

Demand, Supply, Legal

Demand

Last update

2026-01-10

2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageProcurement InertiaCapex Knowhow Scale

Judges Scientific plc strengths

Switching Costs GeneralBuy-and-build acquisition engine

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

Judges Scientific plc segments

Full profile >

Materials Sciences

Competitive

48.4%

Vacuum

Competitive

51.7%

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.