VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

CoStar Group, Inc. vs Ecolab Inc.

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

CoStar Group, Inc.

CSGP · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$28.6B
Gross margin (TTM)79.3%
Operating margin (TTM)-2.7%
Net margin (TTM)0.7%
SectorReal Estate
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
75/ 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 CoStar Group, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CSGP analysis

Ecolab Inc.

ECL · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)17.3%
Net margin (TTM)12.5%
SectorMaterials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
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 Ecolab Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ECL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: CoStar Group, Inc. leads (75 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: CoStar Group, Inc. has 6 segments (39% in Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)); Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: CoStar Group, Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; Ecolab Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

CoStar Group, Inc.

Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)

Market

Online multifamily rental marketplaces and advertising

Geography

United States

Customer

Two-sided (renters + property managers/owners)

Role

Marketplace (subscription advertising + workflow tools)

Revenue share

39%

Ecolab Inc.

Global Industrial

Market

Industrial water treatment & process chemistry (incl. food & beverage processing and pulp & paper process aids)

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B

Role

formulator + on-site service/optimization provider

Revenue share

49.5%

Side-by-side metrics

CoStar Group, Inc.
Ecolab Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CSGP - NASDAQ
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$28.6B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
79.3%
44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
-2.7%
17.3%
Net margin (TTM)
0.7%
12.5%
Sector
Real Estate
Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)
Global Industrial
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
75 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Network, Demand, Legal
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinBrand Trust

CoStar Group, Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleData Network EffectsDe Facto StandardIP Choke PointTwo Sided NetworkSuite BundlingEcosystem Complements

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change Costs

Segment mix

CoStar Group, Inc. segments

Full profile >

CoStar (commercial real estate info & analytics)

Oligopoly

37.3%

Information Services (lease management software + international info)

Competitive

5%

Multifamily (Apartments.com Network)

Oligopoly

39%

LoopNet (commercial property marketing marketplace)

Oligopoly

10.3%

Residential (Homes.com + OnTheMarket)

Oligopoly

3.7%

Other Marketplaces (Ten-X, Land.com, BizBuySell, etc.)

Competitive

4.8%

Ecolab Inc. segments

Full profile >

Global Industrial

Oligopoly

49.5%

Global Institutional & Specialty

Oligopoly

34.1%

Global Healthcare & Life Sciences

Oligopoly

9%

Global Pest Elimination

Oligopoly

7.4%

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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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.