VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs MercadoLibre, 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

MercadoLibre, Inc.

MELI · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$110.4B
Gross margin (TTM)45.1%
Operating margin (TTM)12%
Net margin (TTM)7.9%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySpecialty Retail
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 MercadoLibre, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MELI analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: MercadoLibre, Inc. leads (73 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Alcon Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); MercadoLibre, Inc. has 2 segments (58.5% in Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)).
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; MercadoLibre, 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%

MercadoLibre, Inc.

Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)

Market

Latin American e-commerce marketplace and commerce services (online marketplace, 1P retail, fulfillment/logistics, advertising)

Geography

Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and other countries)

Customer

Consumers (buyers) and merchants/brands (sellers), including MSMEs

Role

Marketplace operator + retailer + logistics orchestrator

Revenue share

58.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
MercadoLibre, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
MELI - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$110.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
45.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
12%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
7.9%
Sector
Healthcare
Technology
Industry
n/a
Specialty Retail
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Surgical
Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Network, Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance Advantage

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingService Field NetworkBrand TrustProcurement InertiaCapex Knowhow Scale

MercadoLibre, Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkEcosystem ComplementsDistribution ControlSwitching Costs GeneralData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

MercadoLibre, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)

Oligopoly

58.5%

Fintech (Mercado Pago & credit)

Competitive

41.5%

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.