VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs GSK plc

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

GSK plc

GSK · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$98.8B
Gross margin (TTM)72.4%
Operating margin (TTM)23.5%
Net margin (TTM)17.1%
SectorHealthcare
CountryGB
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
62/ 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 GSK plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GSK analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Ecolab Inc. leads (63 / 100 vs 62 / 100 for GSK plc).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); GSK plc has 3 segments (37.6% in Specialty Medicines).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; GSK plc has 4 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%

GSK plc

Specialty Medicines

Market

Branded specialty pharmaceuticals (HIV, oncology, immunology/respiratory)

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals, specialist physicians, payers

Role

Innovator & branded manufacturer

Revenue share

37.6%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
GSK plc
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
GSK - London Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$98.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
72.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
23.5%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
17.1%
Sector
Materials
Healthcare
HQ country
US
GB
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Specialty Medicines
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
63 / 100
62 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance Advantage

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change CostsBrand Trust

GSK plc strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleIP Choke PointSwitching Costs General

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%

GSK plc segments

Full profile >

Vaccines

Oligopoly

29.1%

Specialty Medicines

Oligopoly

37.6%

General Medicines

Competitive

33.2%

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.