VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Stock Comparison
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. vs Merck & Co., Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
BRK.B · 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 Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View BRK.B analysisMerck & Co., Inc.
MRK · 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 Merck & Co., Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View MRK analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Merck & Co., Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 64 / 100 for Berkshire Hathaway Inc.).
- Segment focus: Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has 11 segments (28.3% in Insurance (underwriting + investment income)); Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical).
- Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: n/a vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has 17 moat types across 4 domains; Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 across 3.
Primary market context
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Insurance (underwriting + investment income)
Insurance and reinsurance (property and casualty + life/health), including float-funded investing
Global
Consumers and businesses (policyholders) and insurers (reinsurance cedents)
Underwriter and reinsurer plus investment manager of float
28.3%
Merck & Co., Inc.
Pharmaceutical
Branded prescription pharmaceuticals & human vaccines
Global
Wholesalers/retailers, managed care and government payers, hospitals/clinics
R&D-intensive innovator, manufacturer, and marketer
89.5%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. strengths
Merck & Co., Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. segments
Full profile >Insurance (underwriting + investment income)
Competitive
BNSF Railway (freight rail transportation)
Oligopoly
Berkshire Hathaway Energy (regulated utilities, pipelines, renewables)
Monopoly
Industrial products manufacturing (PCC, Lubrizol, IMC, Marmon, etc.)
Oligopoly
Building products & housing (Clayton Homes, Shaw, Johns Manville, Benjamin Moore, etc.)
Competitive
Consumer products manufacturing (Duracell, Forest River, apparel/footwear, toys, etc.)
Competitive
Service businesses (FlightSafety, NetJets, TTI, Dairy Queen, etc.)
Competitive
Retailing businesses (Berkshire Hathaway Automotive, home furnishings, jewelry, See's, etc.)
Competitive
Pilot Travel Centers (travel centers + wholesale fuel marketing)
Oligopoly
McLane (wholesale distribution to convenience stores and restaurants)
Oligopoly
Holding company capital allocation and investing
Competitive
Merck & Co., Inc. segments
Full profile >Pharmaceutical
Competitive
Animal Health
Oligopoly
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View the moat stocks listCuration & 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.