VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Cboe Global Markets, Inc. vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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

Cboe Global Markets, Inc.

CBOE · Cboe BZX

Market cap (USD)$27.4B
Gross margin (TTM)48.2%
Operating margin (TTM)29.6%
Net margin (TTM)21.3%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Data & Stock Exchanges
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
76/ 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 Cboe Global Markets, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CBOE 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 76 / 100 for Cboe Global Markets, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Cboe Global Markets, Inc. has 5 segments (60.8% in Options); 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: Cboe Global Markets, Inc. has 8 moat types across 4 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Cboe Global Markets, Inc.

Options

Market

U.S. listed options exchanges (multi-listed + proprietary index options)

Geography

United States

Customer

Broker-dealers, market makers, institutional investors, retail order-flow intermediaries

Role

Exchange operator (SRO) + derivatives listing venue + market data provider

Revenue share

60.8%

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

Cboe Global Markets, Inc.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
CBOE - Cboe BZX
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$27.4B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
48.2%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
29.6%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
21.3%
n/a
Sector
Financials
Healthcare
Industry
Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Options
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
29%-32% (reported)
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
76 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Network, Supply, Demand
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Regulated Standards PipeSwitching Costs GeneralIP Choke Point

Cboe Global Markets, Inc. strengths

Contractual ExclusivityTwo Sided NetworkCapex Knowhow ScaleClearing SettlementDe Facto Standard

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

Government Contracting RelationshipsBenchmark Pricing PowerService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

Segment mix

Cboe Global Markets, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Options

Oligopoly

60.8%

North American Equities

Competitive

18.5%

Europe and Asia Pacific

Oligopoly

10.6%

Futures

Quasi-Monopoly

6.3%

Global FX

Competitive

3.7%

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?

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.