VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Caterpillar Inc. vs Cochlear Limited

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

Caterpillar Inc.

CAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$288.6B
Gross margin (TTM)33.9%
Operating margin (TTM)17.7%
Net margin (TTM)14.3%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAgricultural - Machinery
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-25
Moat score
68/ 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 Caterpillar Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CAT analysis

Cochlear Limited

COH · ASX

Market cap (USD)$17B
Gross margin (TTM)74.5%
Operating margin (TTM)22.7%
Net margin (TTM)16.2%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Devices
CountryAU
Data as of2026-01-04
Moat score
81/ 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 Cochlear Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View COH analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cochlear Limited leads (81 / 100 vs 68 / 100 for Caterpillar Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Caterpillar Inc. has 5 segments (40.7% in Energy & Transportation); Cochlear Limited has 3 segments (62.4% in Cochlear Implants).
  • Moat breadth: Caterpillar Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; Cochlear Limited has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Caterpillar Inc.

Energy & Transportation

Market

Off-highway engines, power generation, turbines, locomotives and related services

Geography

Global

Customer

Energy companies, industrial customers, OEMs, rail and marine operators

Role

OEM + aftermarket parts/service

Revenue share

40.7%

Cochlear Limited

Cochlear Implants

Market

Cochlear implant systems (internal implant + external sound processors) for severe-to-profound hearing loss

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals/ENT clinics and audiology programs (providers) serving implant candidates/recipients; reimbursed by public/private payers

Role

Medical device OEM / platform owner (implant + processor + fitting software + clinical support)

Revenue share

62.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Caterpillar Inc.
Cochlear Limited
Ticker / Exchange
CAT - New York Stock Exchange
COH - ASX
Market cap (USD)
$288.6B
$17B
Gross margin (TTM)
33.9%
74.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.7%
22.7%
Net margin (TTM)
14.3%
16.2%
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Agricultural - Machinery
Medical - Devices
HQ country
US
AU
Primary segment
Energy & Transportation
Cochlear Implants
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
60%-65% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
68 / 100
81 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Financial, Network
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2025-12-25
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Installed Base ConsumablesBrand TrustService Field NetworkCapex Knowhow Scale

Caterpillar Inc. strengths

Distribution ControlDesign In QualificationSuite BundlingUnderwriting Risk PoolingEcosystem Complements

Cochlear Limited strengths

Compliance AdvantageIP Choke PointFormat Lock InData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Caterpillar Inc. segments

Full profile >

Construction Industries

Oligopoly

35.9%

Resource Industries

Oligopoly

17.5%

Energy & Transportation

Oligopoly

40.7%

Financial Products

Competitive

5.3%

All Other

Competitive

0.6%

Cochlear Limited segments

Full profile >

Cochlear Implants

Oligopoly

62.4%

Services

Monopoly

25.9%

Acoustics

Oligopoly

11.7%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

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.