VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs Pfizer 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)$40.9B
Gross margin (TTM)55.1%
Operating margin (TTM)14.2%
Net margin (TTM)10.3%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Instruments & Supplies
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

Pfizer Inc.

PFE · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$151.5B
Gross margin (TTM)70.3%
Operating margin (TTM)24.7%
Net margin (TTM)12.4%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
58/ 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 Pfizer Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View PFE analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alcon Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Pfizer Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Pfizer Inc. has 5 segments (47.4% in Primary Care).
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Pfizer Inc. has 8 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%

Pfizer Inc.

Primary Care

Market

Branded primary care medicines and vaccines (incl. cardiovascular, migraine, pneumococcal/RSV/COVID-19)

Geography

Global

Customer

Healthcare providers, payers/PBMs, pharmacies/wholesalers, and government procurement

Role

Innovator biopharma (R&D + manufacturing + commercialization)

Revenue share

47.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
Pfizer Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
PFE - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$40.9B
$151.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
55.1%
70.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
14.2%
24.7%
Net margin (TTM)
10.3%
12.4%
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
Industry
Medical - Instruments & Supplies
Drug Manufacturers - General
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Surgical
Primary Care
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
58 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance AdvantageProcurement InertiaCapex Knowhow Scale

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingService Field NetworkBrand Trust

Pfizer Inc. strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsLong Term ContractsOperational ExcellenceEmbedded R&D partnership platform

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

Pfizer Inc. segments

Full profile >

Primary Care

Oligopoly

47.4%

Specialty Care

Oligopoly

26.2%

Oncology

Competitive

24.5%

Pfizer CentreOne

Competitive

1.8%

Pfizer Ignite

Competitive

0.1%

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.

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.