VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited

CP · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$66.2B
Gross margin (TTM)56.7%
Operating margin (TTM)37%
Net margin (TTM)28.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryRailroads
CountryCA
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
70/ 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 Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CP analysis

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

VRTX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
IndustryBiotechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-08
Moat score
99/ 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 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VRTX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited).
  • Segment focus: Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited has 4 segments (46% in Merchandise Freight); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited

Merchandise Freight

Market

North American carload rail freight (industrial and consumer commodities)

Geography

Canada, United States, Mexico

Customer

Industrial shippers and manufacturers across multiple commodity groups

Role

Rail carrier + logistics/transload provider

Revenue share

46%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Market

CFTR modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis

Geography

U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada

Customer

Patients (via specialty pharmacies/payers); CF care centers

Role

Drug developer/manufacturer

Revenue share

99.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
CP - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$66.2B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
56.7%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
37%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
28.4%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Railroads
Biotechnology
HQ country
CA
US
Primary segment
Merchandise Freight
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
70 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited strengths

Permits Rights Of WayPhysical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceDistribution Control

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs GeneralBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

Segment mix

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited segments

Full profile >

Bulk Freight

Oligopoly

34.2%

Merchandise Freight

Oligopoly

46%

Intermodal Freight

Competitive

17.6%

Non-freight and Other

Competitive

2.2%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Quasi-Monopoly

99.9%

Hemoglobinopathies Gene Therapy (CASGEVY)

Oligopoly

0.1%

Acute Pain (JOURNAVX)

Competitive

n/a

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.