VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs Lam Research Corporation

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

Lam Research Corporation

LRCX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$274.3B
Gross margin (TTM)49.3%
Operating margin (TTM)33%
Net margin (TTM)29.7%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySemiconductors
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
73/ 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 Lam Research Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LRCX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Lam Research Corporation leads (73 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Alcon Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Lam Research Corporation has 2 segments (62.3% in Systems).
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Lam Research Corporation has 6 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%

Lam Research Corporation

Systems

Market

Wafer fabrication equipment (etch, deposition, clean and related wafer processing tools)

Geography

Global

Customer

Semiconductor manufacturers (memory, foundry, logic/IDM)

Role

Equipment OEM

Revenue share

62.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
Lam Research Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
LRCX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$274.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
49.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
33%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
29.7%
Sector
Healthcare
Technology
Industry
n/a
Semiconductors
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Surgical
Systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
8%-12% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Installed Base ConsumablesService Field NetworkCapex Knowhow Scale

Alcon Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingCompliance AdvantageBrand TrustProcurement Inertia

Lam Research Corporation strengths

Design In QualificationLearning Curve YieldData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

Lam Research Corporation segments

Full profile >

Systems

Oligopoly

62.3%

Customer Support Business Group (CSBG)

Quasi-Monopoly

37.7%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.