VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alcon Inc. vs Zimmer Biomet Holdings, 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

Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.

ZBH · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$18.4B
Gross margin (TTM)71.4%
Operating margin (TTM)16.6%
Net margin (TTM)10.1%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Devices
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-23
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 Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ZBH analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Alcon Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. has 4 segments (41.3% in Knees).
  • Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. has 7 across 5.

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%

Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.

Knees

Market

Knee reconstruction implants (primary, partial, revision) plus associated instruments and orthopedic robotics/navigation

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers

Role

OEM manufacturer

Revenue share

41.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Alcon Inc.
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ALC - New York Stock Exchange
ZBH - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$39.8B
$18.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
71.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
16.6%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
10.1%
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
Industry
n/a
Medical - Devices
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Surgical
Knees
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
40%-46% (implied)
30.1% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
2,265
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial, Network
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-23

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field Network

Alcon Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesSuite BundlingCompliance AdvantageBrand TrustProcurement InertiaCapex Knowhow Scale

Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationRegulated Standards PipeBenchmark Pricing PowerScope EconomiesEcosystem ComplementsData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Alcon Inc. segments

Full profile >

Surgical

Oligopoly

56%

Vision Care

Oligopoly

44%

Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Knees

Oligopoly

41.3%

Hips

Oligopoly

26%

S.E.T. (Sports Medicine, Extremities, Trauma, CMFT)

Competitive

24.3%

Technology & Data, Bone Cement and Surgical

Oligopoly

8.3%

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.

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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.