VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Colgate-Palmolive Company vs Ecolab Inc.

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

Colgate-Palmolive Company

CL · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)60.2%
Operating margin (TTM)21.7%
Net margin (TTM)14.5%
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
74/ 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 Colgate-Palmolive Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CL analysis

Ecolab Inc.

ECL · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)17.3%
Net margin (TTM)12.5%
SectorMaterials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
63/ 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 Ecolab Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ECL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Colgate-Palmolive Company leads (74 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Colgate-Palmolive Company has 4 segments (43% in Oral Care); Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial).
  • Moat breadth: Colgate-Palmolive Company has 2 moat types across 2 domains; Ecolab Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

Colgate-Palmolive Company

Oral Care

Market

Oral care products (toothpaste, manual toothbrushes, mouthwash)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers; also dentists and oral health professionals (pharma dental products)

Role

Branded consumer products manufacturer

Revenue share

43%

Ecolab Inc.

Global Industrial

Market

Industrial water treatment & process chemistry (incl. food & beverage processing and pulp & paper process aids)

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B

Role

formulator + on-site service/optimization provider

Revenue share

49.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Colgate-Palmolive Company
Ecolab Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CL - New York Stock Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
60.2%
44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
21.7%
17.3%
Net margin (TTM)
14.5%
12.5%
Sector
Consumer
Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Oral Care
Global Industrial
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
41.4% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Colgate-Palmolive Company strengths

Distribution Control

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change Costs

Segment mix

Colgate-Palmolive Company segments

Full profile >

Oral Care

Oligopoly

43%

Personal Care

Competitive

18%

Home Care

Competitive

17%

Pet Nutrition

Oligopoly

22%

Ecolab Inc. segments

Full profile >

Global Industrial

Oligopoly

49.5%

Global Institutional & Specialty

Oligopoly

34.1%

Global Healthcare & Life Sciences

Oligopoly

9%

Global Pest Elimination

Oligopoly

7.4%

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.