VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

British American Tobacco p.l.c. vs Ecolab Inc.

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

British American Tobacco p.l.c.

BATS · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)73.3%
Operating margin (TTM)-24.7%
Net margin (TTM)-20.8%
SectorConsumer
CountryGB
Data as of2025-12-30
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 British American Tobacco p.l.c.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BATS analysis

Ecolab Inc.

ECL · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)17.3%
Net margin (TTM)12.5%
SectorMaterials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
63/ 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 Ecolab Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ECL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: British American Tobacco p.l.c. leads (71 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: British American Tobacco p.l.c. has 6 segments (80% in Combustibles); Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: British American Tobacco p.l.c. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Ecolab Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

British American Tobacco p.l.c.

Combustibles

Market

Combustible tobacco (cigarettes and other combustible products)

Geography

Global

Customer

Adult nicotine consumers via retail/wholesale channels

Role

Manufacturer / brand owner

Revenue share

80%

Ecolab Inc.

Global Industrial

Market

Industrial water treatment & process chemistry (incl. food & beverage processing and pulp & paper process aids)

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B

Role

formulator + on-site service/optimization provider

Revenue share

49.5%

Side-by-side metrics

British American Tobacco p.l.c.
Ecolab Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
BATS - London Stock Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
73.3%
44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
-24.7%
17.3%
Net margin (TTM)
-20.8%
12.5%
Sector
Consumer
Materials
HQ country
GB
US
Primary segment
Combustibles
Global Industrial
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base Consumables

British American Tobacco p.l.c. strengths

Distribution ControlOperational ExcellenceCapability adjacency

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change Costs

Segment mix

British American Tobacco p.l.c. segments

Full profile >

Combustibles

Oligopoly

80%

Vapour

Competitive

6.7%

Heated Products

Oligopoly

3.6%

Modern Oral

Oligopoly

3.1%

Traditional Oral

Oligopoly

4.2%

Other

Competitive

2.5%

Ecolab Inc. segments

Full profile >

Global Industrial

Oligopoly

49.5%

Global Institutional & Specialty

Oligopoly

34.1%

Global Healthcare & Life Sciences

Oligopoly

9%

Global Pest Elimination

Oligopoly

7.4%

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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.