VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Stock Comparison
American Express Company vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
American Express Company
AXP · New York Stock Exchange
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 Express Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View AXP analysisVertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
VRTX · NASDAQ
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View VRTX analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 52 / 100 for American Express Company).
- Segment focus: American Express Company has 4 segments (47.5% in U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
- Primary market structure: Competitive vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: n/a vs Strong.
- Moat breadth: American Express Company has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.
Primary market context
American Express Company
U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)
U.S. premium consumer card issuing (charge and credit) and attached consumer banking and financing
United States
Consumers
Issuer (proprietary cards) and consumer lender/services
47.5%
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
CFTR modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis
U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada
Patients (via specialty pharmacies/payers); CF care centers
Drug developer/manufacturer
99.9%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
American Express Company strengths
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths
Segment mix
American Express Company segments
Full profile >U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)
Competitive
Commercial Services (CS)
Competitive
International Card Services (ICS)
Competitive
Global Merchant and Network Services (GMNS)
Oligopoly
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated segments
Full profile >Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Quasi-Monopoly
Hemoglobinopathies Gene Therapy (CASGEVY)
Oligopoly
Acute Pain (JOURNAVX)
Competitive
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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.
View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.