VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Monday, December 29, 2025

Stock Comparison

Amazon.com, Inc. vs Merck & Co., Inc.

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

Amazon.com, Inc.

AMZN · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$2.5T
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
87/ 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 Amazon.com, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AMZN analysis

Merck & Co., Inc.

MRK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$250.9B
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
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 Merck & Co., Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MRK analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Amazon.com, Inc. leads (87 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Merck & Co., Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Amazon.com, Inc. has 4 segments (73.5% in Amazon Stores (Retail, Marketplace, Prime Subscriptions)); Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Amazon.com, Inc. has 10 moat types across 4 domains; Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 across 3.

Primary market context

Amazon.com, Inc.

Amazon Stores (Retail, Marketplace, Prime Subscriptions)

Market

US retail ecommerce marketplace and online retail (integrated fulfillment + membership shipping)

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers and third-party merchants

Role

Marketplace operator, retailer, and fulfillment provider

Revenue share

73.5%

Merck & Co., Inc.

Pharmaceutical

Market

Branded prescription pharmaceuticals & human vaccines

Geography

Global

Customer

Wholesalers/retailers, managed care and government payers, hospitals/clinics

Role

R&D-intensive innovator, manufacturer, and marketer

Revenue share

89.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Amazon.com, Inc.
Merck & Co., Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AMZN - NASDAQ
MRK - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$2.5T
$250.9B
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Amazon Stores (Retail, Marketplace, Prime Subscriptions)
Pharmaceutical
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
39%-42% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
87 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Network, Financial
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-29
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow ScaleScope Economies

Amazon.com, Inc. strengths

Long Term ContractsTwo Sided NetworkPhysical Network DensitySuite BundlingHabit DefaultNegative Working CapitalDistribution ControlData Network Effects

Merck & Co., Inc. strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Amazon.com, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Oligopoly

16.9%

Amazon Stores (Retail, Marketplace, Prime Subscriptions)

Oligopoly

73.5%

Advertising Services (Amazon Ads / Retail Media)

Oligopoly

8.8%

Other (healthcare, content licensing/distribution, shipping services, co-branded credit card agreements, etc.)

Competitive

0.9%

Merck & Co., Inc. segments

Full profile >

Pharmaceutical

Competitive

89.5%

Animal Health

Oligopoly

9.2%

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 list

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.