VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs Gilead Sciences, 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

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

GILD · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$155.6B
Gross margin (TTM)78.7%
Operating margin (TTM)36.1%
Net margin (TTM)27.9%
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
74/ 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 Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GILD analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Gilead Sciences, Inc. leads (74 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Gilead Sciences, Inc. has 5 segments (68.5% in HIV).
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Gilead Sciences, Inc. has 8 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%

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

HIV

Market

HIV treatment and prevention medicines (antiretroviral therapy and PrEP)

Geography

Global (U.S. and Europe are major markets)

Customer

Patients/prescribers; reimbursed by public and private payers; distributed via wholesalers and specialty pharmacies

Role

Drug developer and marketing authorization holder

Revenue share

68.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
GILD - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$155.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
78.7%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
36.1%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
27.9%
Sector
Materials
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
HIV
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
50%-60% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageBrand Trust

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change Costs

Gilead Sciences, Inc. strengths

Habit DefaultSwitching Costs GeneralIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleRegulated Standards Pipe

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%

Gilead Sciences, Inc. segments

Full profile >

HIV

Oligopoly

68.5%

Oncology (Cell Therapy + Trodelvy)

Oligopoly

11.5%

Liver Disease

Oligopoly

10.6%

Veklury (Remdesivir)

Competitive

6.3%

Other Products

Competitive

3.1%

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.