VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs Novo Nordisk A/S

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

Novo Nordisk A/S

NOVOB · Nasdaq Copenhagen

Market cap (USD)$1.7T
Gross margin (TTM)82.1%
Operating margin (TTM)42%
Net margin (TTM)32.9%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryBiotechnology
CountryDK
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
85/ 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 Novo Nordisk A/S's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NOVOB analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Novo Nordisk A/S leads (85 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Alcon Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Novo Nordisk A/S has 3 segments (71.1% in Diabetes care).
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Novo Nordisk A/S has 5 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%

Novo Nordisk A/S

Diabetes care

Market

Diabetes pharmaceuticals (GLP-1 for type 2 diabetes, insulin, and related therapies)

Geography

Global

Customer

Payers/providers and patients (via wholesalers/pharmacies/hospitals)

Role

Originator pharma (R&D, regulatory, manufacturing, commercialization)

Revenue share

71.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
Novo Nordisk A/S
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
NOVOB - Nasdaq Copenhagen
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$1.7T
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
82.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
42%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
32.9%
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
Industry
n/a
Biotechnology
HQ country
CH
DK
Primary segment
Surgical
Diabetes care
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
33.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
85 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageProcurement InertiaCapex Knowhow Scale

Novo Nordisk A/S strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeCapacity MoatLearning Curve Yield

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

Novo Nordisk A/S segments

Full profile >

Diabetes care

Oligopoly

71.1%

Obesity care

Duopoly

22.4%

Rare disease

Oligopoly

6.4%

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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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.