VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. vs Merck & Co., Inc.

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

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

ATD · Toronto Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$70.7B
Gross margin (TTM)18.5%
Operating margin (TTM)5.3%
Net margin (TTM)3.6%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryCA
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
58/ 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 Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ATD analysis

Merck & Co., Inc.

MRK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$270B
Gross margin (TTM)78.3%
Operating margin (TTM)36.4%
Net margin (TTM)29.6%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
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: Merck & Co., Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has 3 segments (74% in Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)); Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 across 3.

Primary market context

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)

Market

Road transportation fuel retail (gasoline/diesel) at convenience sites; includes unmanned/automated fuel stations

Geography

North America and Europe (plus select other regions via the network)

Customer

Consumers and small fleets

Role

Fuel retailer and site operator

Revenue share

74%

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

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
Merck & Co., Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ATD - Toronto Stock Exchange
MRK - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$70.7B
$270B
Gross margin (TTM)
18.5%
78.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
5.3%
36.4%
Net margin (TTM)
3.6%
29.6%
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
Industry
Specialty Retail
Drug Manufacturers - General
HQ country
CA
US
Primary segment
Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)
Pharmaceutical
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
58 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-05
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scope Economies

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceBrand TrustSupply Chain Control

Merck & Co., Inc. strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeCapex Knowhow ScaleData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchandise and services (in-store convenience retail)

Competitive

25.2%

Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)

Competitive

74%

Other revenues (ancillary energy and other income streams)

Competitive

0.8%

Merck & Co., Inc. segments

Full profile >

Pharmaceutical

Competitive

89.5%

Animal Health

Oligopoly

9.2%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.