VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

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

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

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

EW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$50B
Gross margin (TTM)78.3%
Operating margin (TTM)26.6%
Net margin (TTM)23.2%
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
82/ 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 Edwards Lifesciences Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View EW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation leads (82 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Edwards Lifesciences Corporation has 3 segments (75.5% in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)).
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Edwards Lifesciences Corporation has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

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%

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

Market

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) devices

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals and structural heart centers

Role

Medical device manufacturer

Revenue share

75.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
EW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$50B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
78.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
26.6%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
23.2%
Sector
Materials
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
60%-73% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
82 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance AdvantageTraining Org Change CostsBrand Trust

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term Contracts

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation strengths

Regulated Standards PipeIP Choke PointSupply Chain Control

Segment mix

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%

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation segments

Full profile >

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

Oligopoly

75.5%

Transcatheter Mitral and Tricuspid Therapies (TMTT)

Competitive

6.5%

Surgical Structural Heart

Oligopoly

18%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.