VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Cochlear Limited vs Waste Management, 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

Waste Management, Inc.

WM · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$88.4B
Gross margin (TTM)28.9%
Operating margin (TTM)17.6%
Net margin (TTM)10.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryWaste Management
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
79/ 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 Waste Management, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WM analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cochlear Limited leads (81 / 100 vs 79 / 100 for Waste Management, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Cochlear Limited has 3 segments (62.4% in Cochlear Implants); Waste Management, Inc. has 4 segments (82.2% in Collection and Disposal).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Cochlear Limited has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Waste Management, Inc. has 7 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%

Waste Management, Inc.

Collection and Disposal

Market

Municipal, commercial, and industrial solid waste collection, transfer, and landfill disposal

Geography

North America (primarily US and Canada)

Customer

Municipalities and end-customers (residential, commercial, industrial) via direct and contract channels

Role

Integrated hauler + transfer + landfill owner/operator

Revenue share

82.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Cochlear Limited
Waste Management, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
COH - ASX
WM - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$17B
$88.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
74.5%
28.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
22.7%
17.6%
Net margin (TTM)
16.2%
10.4%
Sector
Healthcare
Industrials
Industry
Medical - Devices
Waste Management
HQ country
AU
US
Primary segment
Cochlear Implants
Collection and Disposal
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
60%-65% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
81 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-04
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Cochlear Limited strengths

Brand TrustCompliance AdvantageCapex Knowhow ScaleIP Choke PointService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesFormat Lock InData Workflow Lockin

Waste Management, Inc. strengths

Permits Rights Of WayCapacity MoatPricing power via yield management and contracted rate actionsOperational ExcellencePreferential Input AccessRegulated Standards PipePhysical Network Density

Segment mix

Cochlear Limited segments

Full profile >

Cochlear Implants

Oligopoly

62.4%

Services

Monopoly

25.9%

Acoustics

Oligopoly

11.7%

Waste Management, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Collection and Disposal

Oligopoly

82.2%

Recycling Processing and Sales

Competitive

6%

WM Renewable Energy

Competitive

1.7%

WM Healthcare Solutions

Oligopoly

10%

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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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.