VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs FactSet Research Systems Inc.

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

FactSet Research Systems Inc.

FDS · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$31.3B
Gross margin (TTM)52.3%
Operating margin (TTM)31.7%
Net margin (TTM)25.4%
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
85/ 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 FactSet Research Systems Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View FDS analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: FactSet Research Systems Inc. leads (85 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); FactSet Research Systems Inc. has 2 segments.
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; FactSet Research Systems Inc. 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%

FactSet Research Systems Inc.

Hosted Platform (Workstations & Analytics)

Market

Financial data and analytics platforms for investment professionals

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional investors and financial institutions

Role

Software and data platform vendor

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
FactSet Research Systems Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
FDS - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$31.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
52.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
31.7%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
25.4%
Sector
Materials
Financials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Hosted Platform (Workstations & Analytics)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
85 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Network, Legal
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change CostsBrand Trust

FactSet Research Systems Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralSuite BundlingStandards RegistryDe Facto StandardConcession License

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%

FactSet Research Systems Inc. segments

Full profile >

Hosted Platform (Workstations & Analytics)

Oligopoly

n/a

Identifier Platform (CUSIP Global Services)

Quasi-Monopoly

n/a

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.