VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Friday, January 2, 2026
Stock Comparison
Ecolab Inc. vs W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Ecolab Inc.
ECL · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
GWW · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into W.W. Grainger, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View GWW analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: W.W. Grainger, Inc. leads (65 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
- Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 3 segments (79.9% in High-Touch Solutions N.A.).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 5 across 2.
Primary market context
Ecolab Inc.
Global Industrial
Industrial water treatment & process chemistry (incl. food & beverage processing and pulp & paper process aids)
Global
B2B
formulator + on-site service/optimization provider
49.5%
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
High-Touch Solutions N.A.
MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) products distribution and value-added inventory/procurement solutions
North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico)
Mid-size and large businesses with complex purchasing operations; also government and institutions
Distributor / wholesaler + onsite inventory services
79.9%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Ecolab Inc. strengths
W.W. Grainger, Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Ecolab Inc. segments
Full profile >Global Industrial
Oligopoly
Global Institutional & Specialty
Oligopoly
Global Healthcare & Life Sciences
Oligopoly
Global Pest Elimination
Oligopoly
W.W. Grainger, Inc. segments
Full profile >High-Touch Solutions N.A.
Competitive
Endless Assortment
Competitive
Other (Cromwell U.K. + captive insurance)
Competitive
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View the moat stocks listCuration & 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.