VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Colgate-Palmolive Company vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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)$65.7B
Gross margin (TTM)60.2%
Operating margin (TTM)21.7%
Net margin (TTM)14.5%
SectorConsumer
IndustryHousehold & Personal Products
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

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 74 / 100 for Colgate-Palmolive Company).
  • Segment focus: Colgate-Palmolive Company has 4 segments (43% in Oral Care); 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: Colgate-Palmolive Company has 2 moat types across 2 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

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%

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

Colgate-Palmolive Company
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
CL - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$65.7B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
60.2%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
21.7%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
14.5%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
Industry
Household & Personal Products
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Oral Care
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
41.4% (reported)
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
74 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Colgate-Palmolive Company strengths

Brand TrustDistribution Control

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs GeneralBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

Segment mix

Colgate-Palmolive Company segments

Full profile >

Oral Care

Oligopoly

43%

Personal Care

Competitive

18%

Home Care

Competitive

17%

Pet Nutrition

Oligopoly

22%

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?

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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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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.