VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

American Tower Corporation vs Ecolab Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

American Tower Corporation

AMT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)74.6%
Operating margin (TTM)45.9%
Net margin (TTM)28.1%
SectorReal Estate
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
76/ 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 American Tower Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AMT analysis

Ecolab Inc.

ECL · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)17.3%
Net margin (TTM)12.5%
SectorMaterials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
63/ 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 Ecolab Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ECL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: American Tower Corporation leads (76 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: American Tower Corporation has 3 segments; Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial).
  • Moat breadth: American Tower Corporation has 6 moat types across 4 domains; Ecolab Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

American Tower Corporation

U.S. & Canada Communications Sites

Market

Wireless communications site leasing (macro towers, rooftops and DAS)

Geography

United States and Canada

Customer

Wireless carriers and other tenants (broadcast, data, government/municipal)

Role

Independent owner/operator of communications real estate (towerco)

Ecolab Inc.

Global Industrial

Market

Industrial water treatment & process chemistry (incl. food & beverage processing and pulp & paper process aids)

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B

Role

formulator + on-site service/optimization provider

Revenue share

49.5%

Side-by-side metrics

American Tower Corporation
Ecolab Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AMT - New York Stock Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
74.6%
44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
45.9%
17.3%
Net margin (TTM)
28.1%
12.5%
Sector
Real Estate
Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
U.S. & Canada Communications Sites
Global Industrial
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply, Network
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term Contracts

American Tower Corporation strengths

Permits Rights Of WayPhysical Network DensitySwitching Costs GeneralInteroperability HubCapacity Moat

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesTraining Org Change CostsBrand Trust

Segment mix

American Tower Corporation segments

Full profile >

U.S. & Canada Communications Sites

Oligopoly

n/a

International Communications Sites

Oligopoly

n/a

Data Centers

Competitive

n/a

Ecolab Inc. segments

Full profile >

Global Industrial

Oligopoly

49.5%

Global Institutional & Specialty

Oligopoly

34.1%

Global Healthcare & Life Sciences

Oligopoly

9%

Global Pest Elimination

Oligopoly

7.4%

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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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.