VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Cochlear Limited vs Xero Limited

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

Xero Limited

XRO · Australian Securities Exchange

Market cap (USD)$18.2B
Gross margin (TTM)85.3%
Operating margin (TTM)17.6%
Net margin (TTM)11.5%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySoftware - Application
CountryNZ
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
71/ 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 Xero Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View XRO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Cochlear Limited leads (81 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Xero Limited).
  • Segment focus: Cochlear Limited has 3 segments (62.4% in Cochlear Implants); Xero Limited has 2 segments.
  • Moat breadth: Cochlear Limited has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Xero Limited 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%

Xero Limited

Core Accounting Subscription Platform

Market

Cloud accounting software for small businesses and their advisors

Geography

Global

Customer

SMB; accountants & bookkeepers

Role

Software platform (SaaS)

Side-by-side metrics

Cochlear Limited
Xero Limited
Ticker / Exchange
COH - ASX
XRO - Australian Securities Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$17B
$18.2B
Gross margin (TTM)
74.5%
85.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
22.7%
17.6%
Net margin (TTM)
16.2%
11.5%
Sector
Healthcare
Technology
Industry
Medical - Devices
Software - Application
HQ country
AU
NZ
Primary segment
Cochlear Implants
Core Accounting Subscription Platform
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
71 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Demand, Network, Financial
Last update
2026-01-04
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

Cochlear Limited strengths

Brand TrustCompliance AdvantageCapex Knowhow ScaleIP Choke PointService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesFormat Lock In

Xero Limited strengths

Switching Costs GeneralTwo Sided NetworkBenchmark Pricing PowerInteroperability HubEcosystem ComplementsSuite Bundling

Segment mix

Cochlear Limited segments

Full profile >

Cochlear Implants

Oligopoly

62.4%

Services

Monopoly

25.9%

Acoustics

Oligopoly

11.7%

Xero Limited segments

Full profile >

Core Accounting Subscription Platform

Oligopoly

n/a

Platform Services (Payments, Payroll, App Ecosystem)

Competitive

n/a

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.