VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Cochlear Limited vs Medtronic 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

Medtronic plc

MDT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$124.9B
Gross margin (TTM)62.3%
Operating margin (TTM)17.9%
Net margin (TTM)13.7%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Devices
CountryIE
Data as of2025-12-31
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 Medtronic plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MDT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cochlear Limited leads (81 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Medtronic plc).
  • Segment focus: Cochlear Limited has 3 segments (62.4% in Cochlear Implants); Medtronic plc has 4 segments (37.2% in Cardiovascular Portfolio).
  • Moat breadth: Cochlear Limited has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Medtronic plc has 9 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%

Medtronic plc

Cardiovascular Portfolio

Market

Cardiovascular medical devices (cardiac rhythm management, electrophysiology/ablation, structural heart, coronary & peripheral vascular)

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals, cath labs, electrophysiologists, cardiologists, cardiac & vascular surgeons

Role

Device OEM + procedure support + remote monitoring software/services

Revenue share

37.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Cochlear Limited
Medtronic plc
Ticker / Exchange
COH - ASX
MDT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$17B
$124.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
74.5%
62.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
22.7%
17.9%
Net margin (TTM)
16.2%
13.7%
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
Industry
Medical - Devices
Medical - Devices
HQ country
AU
IE
Primary segment
Cochlear Implants
Cardiovascular Portfolio
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
63 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Legal, Demand, Network
Last update
2026-01-04
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance AdvantageIP Choke PointInstalled Base ConsumablesData Workflow Lockin

Cochlear Limited strengths

Brand TrustCapex Knowhow ScaleService Field NetworkFormat Lock In

Medtronic plc strengths

Regulated Standards PipeDesign In QualificationEcosystem ComplementsProcurement InertiaSuite Bundling

Segment mix

Cochlear Limited segments

Full profile >

Cochlear Implants

Oligopoly

62.4%

Services

Monopoly

25.9%

Acoustics

Oligopoly

11.7%

Medtronic plc segments

Full profile >

Cardiovascular Portfolio

Oligopoly

37.2%

Neuroscience Portfolio

Oligopoly

29.4%

Medical Surgical Portfolio

Competitive

25.1%

Diabetes Operating Unit

Oligopoly

8.2%

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.