VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

BlackRock, Inc. vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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

BlackRock, Inc.

BLK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$168.1B
Gross margin (TTM)51.6%
Operating margin (TTM)32.6%
Net margin (TTM)26.6%
SectorFinancials
IndustryAsset Management
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
59/ 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 BlackRock, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BLK analysis

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

VRTX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
IndustryBiotechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-08
Moat score
99/ 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 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VRTX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 59 / 100 for BlackRock, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: BlackRock, Inc. has 7 segments (33% in iShares ETFs & ETPs); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: BlackRock, Inc. has 10 moat types across 2 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

BlackRock, Inc.

iShares ETFs & ETPs

Market

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded products (ETPs)

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional and retail (via intermediaries)

Role

ETF sponsor / asset manager

Revenue share

33%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Market

CFTR modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis

Geography

U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada

Customer

Patients (via specialty pharmacies/payers); CF care centers

Role

Drug developer/manufacturer

Revenue share

99.9%

Side-by-side metrics

BlackRock, Inc.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
BLK - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$168.1B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
51.6%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
32.6%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
26.6%
n/a
Sector
Financials
Healthcare
Industry
Asset Management
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
iShares ETFs & ETPs
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
28.3% (reported)
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
59 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

BlackRock, Inc. strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostBrand TrustDistribution ControlOperational ExcellenceSuite BundlingProcurement InertiaLong Term ContractsScope EconomiesData Workflow Lockin

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

Segment mix

BlackRock, Inc. segments

Full profile >

iShares ETFs & ETPs

Oligopoly

33%

Institutional Index Mandates (Non-ETF)

Oligopoly

5.7%

Active & Multi-Asset (Public Markets)

Competitive

27.5%

Alternatives & Private Markets

Oligopoly

13.5%

Cash Management (MMFs & cash solutions)

Competitive

5.1%

Aladdin & Technology Services

Oligopoly

7.9%

Distribution & Advisory Services

Competitive

7.3%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Quasi-Monopoly

99.9%

Hemoglobinopathies Gene Therapy (CASGEVY)

Oligopoly

0.1%

Acute Pain (JOURNAVX)

Competitive

n/a

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.