VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Cochlear Limited vs Linde plc

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

Linde plc

LIN · Nasdaq Stock Market

Market cap (USD)$202.2B
Gross margin (TTM)40.5%
Operating margin (TTM)27.2%
Net margin (TTM)21.2%
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
CountryIE
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
72/ 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 Linde plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LIN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cochlear Limited leads (81 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Linde plc).
  • Segment focus: Cochlear Limited has 3 segments (62.4% in Cochlear Implants); Linde plc has 4 segments (43.8% in Americas).
  • Moat breadth: Cochlear Limited has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Linde plc has 5 across 3.

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%

Linde plc

Americas

Market

Industrial gases (Americas)

Geography

Americas

Customer

B2B + healthcare

Role

Producer, distributor, on-site plant owner/operator

Revenue share

43.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Cochlear Limited
Linde plc
Ticker / Exchange
COH - ASX
LIN - Nasdaq Stock Market
Market cap (USD)
$17B
$202.2B
Gross margin (TTM)
74.5%
40.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
22.7%
27.2%
Net margin (TTM)
16.2%
21.2%
Sector
Healthcare
Materials
Industry
Medical - Devices
Chemicals - Specialty
HQ country
AU
IE
Primary segment
Cochlear Implants
Americas
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
60%-65% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
81 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-04
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow ScaleIP Choke Point

Cochlear Limited strengths

Brand TrustCompliance AdvantageService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesFormat Lock InData Workflow Lockin

Linde plc strengths

Long Term ContractsPhysical Network DensityScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Cochlear Limited segments

Full profile >

Cochlear Implants

Oligopoly

62.4%

Services

Monopoly

25.9%

Acoustics

Oligopoly

11.7%

Linde plc segments

Full profile >

Americas

Oligopoly

43.8%

EMEA

Oligopoly

25.3%

APAC

Oligopoly

20.1%

Engineering

Competitive

7%

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.