VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

American Water Works Company, Inc. vs IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.

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

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.

IDXX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$57B
Gross margin (TTM)61.7%
Operating margin (TTM)31.3%
Net margin (TTM)24.7%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Diagnostics & Research
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
82/ 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 IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View IDXX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. leads (82 / 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); IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. has 4 segments (91.7% in Companion Animal Group).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. has 5 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%

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.

Companion Animal Group

Market

Veterinary diagnostics and practice management software for companion animals

Geography

Global

Customer

Veterinary practices, corporate veterinary groups, and reference laboratories

Role

Diagnostics platform owner (in-clinic instruments + consumables) and reference lab/service provider; practice management software provider

Revenue share

91.7%

Side-by-side metrics

American Water Works Company, Inc.
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AWK - New York Stock Exchange
IDXX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$25B
$57B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
61.7%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
31.3%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
24.7%
Sector
Utilities
Healthcare
Industry
n/a
Medical - Diagnostics & Research
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Regulated Businesses
Companion Animal Group
Market structure
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
79 / 100
82 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-09
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensityCompliance Advantage

American Water Works Company, Inc. strengths

Concession LicensePermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsGovernment Contracting RelationshipsOperational Excellence

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesData Workflow LockinRegulated Standards Pipe

Segment mix

American Water Works Company, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Regulated Businesses

Monopoly

91.7%

Military and Contract Water Services (Other)

Duopoly

8.3%

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Companion Animal Group

Oligopoly

91.7%

Water Quality Products

Oligopoly

4.7%

Livestock, Poultry and Dairy

Competitive

3.1%

Other (OPTI Medical and out-licensing)

Competitive

0.4%

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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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.