VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Cochlear Limited vs Alphabet Inc.

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

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

Alphabet Inc.

GOOGL · The Nasdaq Stock Market

Market cap (USD)$3.8T
Gross margin (TTM)59.2%
Operating margin (TTM)32.2%
Net margin (TTM)32.2%
SectorCommunication Services
IndustryInternet Content & Information
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
86/ 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 Alphabet Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GOOGL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alphabet Inc. leads (86 / 100 vs 81 / 100 for Cochlear Limited).
  • Segment focus: Cochlear Limited has 3 segments (62.4% in Cochlear Implants); Alphabet Inc. has 6 segments (56.6% in Google Search & other (Advertising)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Cochlear Limited has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Alphabet Inc. has 10 across 4.

Primary market context

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%

Alphabet Inc.

Google Search & other (Advertising)

Market

Search advertising (intent-based digital ads)

Geography

Global

Customer

Advertisers (SMB to enterprise)

Role

Ad platform / publisher

Revenue share

56.6%

Side-by-side metrics

Cochlear Limited
Alphabet Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
COH - ASX
GOOGL - The Nasdaq Stock Market
Market cap (USD)
$17B
$3.8T
Gross margin (TTM)
74.5%
59.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
22.7%
32.2%
Net margin (TTM)
16.2%
32.2%
Sector
Healthcare
Communication Services
Industry
Medical - Devices
Internet Content & Information
HQ country
AU
US
Primary segment
Cochlear Implants
Google Search & other (Advertising)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
60%-65% (reported)
88%-91% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
8,115
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
81 / 100
86 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Network, Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-04
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow Scale

Cochlear Limited strengths

Brand TrustCompliance AdvantageIP Choke PointService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesFormat Lock InData Workflow Lockin

Alphabet Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsHabit DefaultTwo Sided NetworkContent Rights CurrencyOperational ExcellenceDefault OS GatewaySwitching Costs GeneralEcosystem ComplementsIncubation & patient capital

Segment mix

Cochlear Limited segments

Full profile >

Cochlear Implants

Oligopoly

62.4%

Services

Monopoly

25.9%

Acoustics

Oligopoly

11.7%

Alphabet Inc. segments

Full profile >

Google Search & other (Advertising)

Quasi-Monopoly

56.6%

YouTube (Advertising)

Oligopoly

10.3%

Google Network (Advertising)

Competitive

8.7%

Google Subscriptions, Platforms & Devices

Quasi-Monopoly

11.5%

Google Cloud

Oligopoly

12.4%

Other Bets

Competitive

0.5%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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.