VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs Meta Platforms, 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

Meta Platforms, Inc.

META · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$1.6T
Gross margin (TTM)82%
Operating margin (TTM)43.2%
Net margin (TTM)30.9%
SectorCommunication Services
IndustryInternet Content & Information
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
94/ 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 Meta Platforms, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View META analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Meta Platforms, Inc. leads (94 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Alcon Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Meta Platforms, Inc. has 2 segments (98.7% in Family of Apps (FoA)).
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Meta Platforms, Inc. 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%

Meta Platforms, Inc.

Family of Apps (FoA)

Market

Global social media platforms & social media advertising

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers and advertisers

Role

Two-sided platform (attention + ad auction)

Revenue share

98.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
META - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$1.6T
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
82%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
43.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
30.9%
Sector
Healthcare
Communication Services
Industry
n/a
Internet Content & Information
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Surgical
Family of Apps (FoA)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
55%-65% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
94 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Network, Supply
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow Scale

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageBrand TrustProcurement Inertia

Meta Platforms, Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkDirect Network EffectsData Network EffectsEcosystem ComplementsLearning Curve Yield

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

Meta Platforms, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Family of Apps (FoA)

Oligopoly

98.7%

Reality Labs (RL)

Quasi-Monopoly

1.3%

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.