VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Sunday, January 11, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs United Parcel Service, 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)$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

United Parcel Service, Inc.

UPS · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$91.7B
Gross margin (TTM)18.1%
Operating margin (TTM)9.3%
Net margin (TTM)6.2%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIntegrated Freight & Logistics
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
Moat score
72/ 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 United Parcel Service, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View UPS analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: United Parcel Service, Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Alcon Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); United Parcel Service, Inc. has 3 segments (66.3% in U.S. Domestic Package).
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; United Parcel Service, 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%

United Parcel Service, Inc.

U.S. Domestic Package

Market

U.S. small parcel and time-definite package delivery

Geography

United States

Customer

B2B and B2C shippers (including e-commerce)

Role

Integrated parcel carrier (pickup, sort, linehaul, last-mile)

Revenue share

66.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
United Parcel Service, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
UPS - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$91.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
18.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
9.3%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
6.2%
Sector
Healthcare
Industrials
Industry
n/a
Integrated Freight & Logistics
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Surgical
U.S. Domestic Package
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
34.3% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
2,639
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Financial, Demand
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkBrand Trust

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingCompliance AdvantageProcurement InertiaCapex Knowhow Scale

United Parcel Service, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostBenchmark Pricing PowerData Workflow LockinOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

United Parcel Service, Inc. segments

Full profile >

U.S. Domestic Package

Oligopoly

66.3%

International Package

Oligopoly

19.7%

Supply Chain Solutions

Competitive

14%

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.