VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs Nestle S.A.

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

Nestle S.A.

NESN · SIX Swiss Exchange

Market cap (USD)$194B
Gross margin (TTM)46.8%
Operating margin (TTM)15.5%
Net margin (TTM)11.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustryPackaged Foods
CountryCH
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
57/ 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 Nestle S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NESN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alcon Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for Nestle S.A.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Nestle S.A. has 7 segments (26.9% in Powdered and Liquid Beverages).
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Nestle S.A. has 6 across 3.

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%

Nestle S.A.

Powdered and Liquid Beverages

Market

Packaged coffee (instant, roast and ground, portioned) and other powdered beverages (cocoa/malt, creamers)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers (end-users) via retail and e-commerce; plus out-of-home channels

Role

Branded manufacturer and marketer; system operator for portioned coffee (machines + capsules)

Revenue share

26.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
Nestle S.A.
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
NESN - SIX Swiss Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$194B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
46.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
15.5%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
11.8%
Sector
Healthcare
Consumer
Industry
n/a
Packaged Foods
HQ country
CH
CH
Primary segment
Surgical
Powdered and Liquid Beverages
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
25% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
57 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Installed Base ConsumablesCompliance AdvantageBrand Trust

Alcon Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingService Field NetworkProcurement InertiaCapex Knowhow Scale

Nestle S.A. strengths

Preferential Input AccessLearning Curve YieldDistribution Control

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

Nestle S.A. segments

Full profile >

Powdered and Liquid Beverages

Oligopoly

26.9%

PetCare

Oligopoly

20.7%

Nutrition and Health Science

Oligopoly

16.6%

Prepared dishes and cooking aids

Competitive

11.7%

Milk products and Ice cream

Competitive

11.4%

Confectionery

Oligopoly

9.2%

Water

Competitive

3.5%

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.

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.