VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs Symrise AG

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

Symrise AG

SY1 · Xetra

Market cap (USD)$9.8B
Gross margin (TTM)40.3%
Operating margin (TTM)0.7%
Net margin (TTM)10.2%
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
CountryDE
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
69/ 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 Symrise AG's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SY1 analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alcon Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 69 / 100 for Symrise AG).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Symrise AG has 2 segments (61.8% in Taste, Nutrition & Health).
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Symrise AG 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%

Symrise AG

Taste, Nutrition & Health

Market

Food & beverage flavor ingredients and pet food ingredients

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B (food & beverage, pet food, aquafeed manufacturers)

Role

Ingredient/formulation supplier

Revenue share

61.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
Symrise AG
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
SY1 - Xetra
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$9.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
40.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
0.7%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
10.2%
Sector
Healthcare
Materials
Industry
n/a
Chemicals - Specialty
HQ country
CH
DE
Primary segment
Surgical
Taste, Nutrition & Health
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
12%-16% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
958
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
69 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow Scale

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageBrand TrustProcurement Inertia

Symrise AG strengths

Design In QualificationPreferential Input AccessScope EconomiesIP Choke Point

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

Symrise AG segments

Full profile >

Taste, Nutrition & Health

Oligopoly

61.8%

Scent & Care

Oligopoly

38.2%

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.