VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Stock Comparison
Alcon Inc. vs UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Alcon Inc.
ALC · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
UNH · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into UnitedHealth Group Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View UNH analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Alcon Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 64 / 100 for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated).
- Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has 4 segments (74.9% in UnitedHealthcare).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
- Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has 5 across 2.
Primary market context
Alcon Inc.
Surgical
Ophthalmic surgical devices (implantables, consumables, equipment) and related service/training
Global
Ophthalmic surgeons, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, group purchasing organizations
Medical device OEM with direct service, clinical support, and training
56%
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
UnitedHealthcare
U.S. health benefits / managed care (commercial, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care)
United States (primarily)
Employers, individuals, and government-sponsored programs
Health insurer / managed care organization
74.9%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Alcon Inc. strengths
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated strengths
Segment mix
Alcon Inc. segments
Full profile >Surgical
Oligopoly
Vision Care
Oligopoly
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated segments
Full profile >UnitedHealthcare
Oligopoly
Optum Health
Competitive
Optum Insight
Competitive
Optum Rx
Oligopoly
Want the full wide moat stocks list?
Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.
View the moat stocks listLooking for expansion-stage stocks?
Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.
View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.