VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Cochlear Limited vs Melrose Industries 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

Melrose Industries PLC

MRO · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$7.9B
Gross margin (TTM)21.4%
Operating margin (TTM)7.6%
Net margin (TTM)4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
CountryGB
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
77/ 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 Melrose Industries PLC's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MRO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cochlear Limited leads (81 / 100 vs 77 / 100 for Melrose Industries PLC).
  • Segment focus: Cochlear Limited has 3 segments (62.4% in Cochlear Implants); Melrose Industries PLC has 2 segments (57.9% in Structures).
  • Moat breadth: Cochlear Limited has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Melrose Industries PLC has 5 across 2.

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%

Melrose Industries PLC

Structures

Market

Aerostructures and aircraft electrical wiring systems (EWIS)

Geography

Global

Customer

Airframe OEMs; defence primes

Role

Tier-1 aerospace supplier

Revenue share

57.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Cochlear Limited
Melrose Industries PLC
Ticker / Exchange
COH - ASX
MRO - London Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$17B
$7.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
74.5%
21.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
22.7%
7.6%
Net margin (TTM)
16.2%
4%
Sector
Healthcare
Industrials
Industry
Medical - Devices
Industrial - Machinery
HQ country
AU
GB
Primary segment
Cochlear Implants
Structures
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
77 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-04
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow ScaleService Field Network

Cochlear Limited strengths

Brand TrustCompliance AdvantageIP Choke PointInstalled Base ConsumablesFormat Lock InData Workflow Lockin

Melrose Industries PLC strengths

Long Term ContractsDesign In QualificationCapacity Moat

Segment mix

Cochlear Limited segments

Full profile >

Cochlear Implants

Oligopoly

62.4%

Services

Monopoly

25.9%

Acoustics

Oligopoly

11.7%

Melrose Industries PLC segments

Full profile >

Engines

Oligopoly

42.1%

Structures

Oligopoly

57.9%

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.