VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

American Water Works Company, Inc. vs Cochlear Limited

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

American Water Works Company, Inc.

AWK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$25B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorUtilities
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
79/ 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 Water Works Company, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AWK analysis

Cochlear Limited

COH · ASX

Market cap (USD)$17.2B
Gross margin (TTM)74.5%
Operating margin (TTM)22.7%
Net margin (TTM)16.2%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Devices
CountryAU
Data as of2026-01-04
Moat score
81/ 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 Cochlear Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View COH analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cochlear Limited leads (81 / 100 vs 79 / 100 for American Water Works Company, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 2 segments (91.7% in Regulated Businesses); Cochlear Limited has 3 segments (62.4% in Cochlear Implants).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Cochlear Limited has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

American Water Works Company, Inc.

Regulated Businesses

Market

Regulated water and wastewater utility service in certificated/franchised territories

Geography

United States (14-state footprint)

Customer

Residential, commercial, industrial, public authority, fire service, and sale-for-resale customers

Role

Regulated utility owner/operator (water & wastewater)

Revenue share

91.7%

Cochlear Limited

Cochlear Implants

Market

Cochlear implant systems (internal implant + external sound processors) for severe-to-profound hearing loss

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals/ENT clinics and audiology programs (providers) serving implant candidates/recipients; reimbursed by public/private payers

Role

Medical device OEM / platform owner (implant + processor + fitting software + clinical support)

Revenue share

62.4%

Side-by-side metrics

American Water Works Company, Inc.
Cochlear Limited
Ticker / Exchange
AWK - New York Stock Exchange
COH - ASX
Market cap (USD)
$25B
$17.2B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
74.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
22.7%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
16.2%
Sector
Utilities
Healthcare
Industry
n/a
Medical - Devices
HQ country
US
AU
Primary segment
Regulated Businesses
Cochlear Implants
Market structure
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
60%-65% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
79 / 100
81 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-09
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance Advantage

American Water Works Company, Inc. strengths

Concession LicensePhysical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsGovernment Contracting RelationshipsOperational Excellence

Cochlear Limited strengths

Brand TrustCapex Knowhow ScaleIP Choke PointService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesFormat Lock InData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

American Water Works Company, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Regulated Businesses

Monopoly

91.7%

Military and Contract Water Services (Other)

Duopoly

8.3%

Cochlear Limited segments

Full profile >

Cochlear Implants

Oligopoly

62.4%

Services

Monopoly

25.9%

Acoustics

Oligopoly

11.7%

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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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.