VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Wide Moat StocksExpansion-Stage Stocks Home My Collections

Stock Comparison

CDW Corporation vs Merck & Co., Inc.

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

CDW Corporation

CDW · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$17.4B
Gross margin (TTM)21.6%
Operating margin (TTM)7.4%
Net margin (TTM)4.8%
SectorTechnology
IndustryInformation Technology Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
52/ 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 CDW Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CDW analysis

Merck & Co., Inc.

MRK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$270B
Gross margin (TTM)78.3%
Operating margin (TTM)36.4%
Net margin (TTM)29.6%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
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 Merck & Co., Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MRK analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Merck & Co., Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 52 / 100 for CDW Corporation).
  • Segment focus: CDW Corporation has 4 segments (42.1% in Corporate); Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: CDW Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 across 3.

Primary market context

CDW Corporation

Corporate

Market

IT solutions provider / value-added reseller (VAR) + services for U.S. private-sector businesses (250+ employees)

Geography

United States

Customer

Private-sector enterprises (mid-market and large)

Role

Value-added reseller / systems integrator

Revenue share

42.1%

Merck & Co., Inc.

Pharmaceutical

Market

Branded prescription pharmaceuticals & human vaccines

Geography

Global

Customer

Wholesalers/retailers, managed care and government payers, hospitals/clinics

Role

R&D-intensive innovator, manufacturer, and marketer

Revenue share

89.5%

Side-by-side metrics

CDW Corporation
Merck & Co., Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CDW - NASDAQ
MRK - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$17.4B
$270B
Gross margin (TTM)
21.6%
78.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
7.4%
36.4%
Net margin (TTM)
4.8%
29.6%
Sector
Technology
Healthcare
Industry
Information Technology Services
Drug Manufacturers - General
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Corporate
Pharmaceutical
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
52 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scope Economies

CDW Corporation strengths

Service Field NetworkPreferential Input AccessProcurement InertiaOperational ExcellenceGovernment Contracting Relationships

Merck & Co., Inc. strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeCapex Knowhow ScaleData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

CDW Corporation segments

Full profile >

Corporate

Competitive

42.1%

Small Business

Competitive

7.3%

Public

Competitive

38.8%

Other (UK & Canada)

Competitive

11.8%

Merck & Co., Inc. segments

Full profile >

Pharmaceutical

Competitive

89.5%

Animal Health

Oligopoly

9.2%

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.