VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs LPL Financial Holdings 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

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.

LPLA · Nasdaq

Market cap (USD)$28.8B
Gross margin (TTM)24.1%
Operating margin (TTM)9.5%
Net margin (TTM)5.4%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Capital Markets
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
79/ 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 LPL Financial Holdings Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LPLA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: LPL Financial Holdings Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Alcon Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); LPL Financial Holdings Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Advisor Platform).
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; LPL Financial Holdings Inc. has 6 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%

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.

Advisor Platform

Market

Advisor-mediated wealth management platform (independent broker-dealer + RIA custody/clearing)

Geography

United States

Customer

Financial advisors and financial institutions

Role

Platform / broker-dealer / custodian

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
LPLA - Nasdaq
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$28.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
24.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
9.5%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
5.4%
Sector
Healthcare
Financials
Industry
n/a
Financial - Capital Markets
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Surgical
Advisor Platform
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
23%-25% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand, Legal, Network
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Suite BundlingCompliance Advantage

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesService Field NetworkBrand TrustProcurement InertiaCapex Knowhow Scale

LPL Financial Holdings Inc. strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostOperational ExcellenceTwo Sided NetworkSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

LPL Financial Holdings Inc. segments

Full profile >

Advisor Platform

Oligopoly

100%

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.