VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs Interactive Brokers Group, 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)$74.6B
Gross margin (TTM)44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)17.3%
Net margin (TTM)12.5%
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
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

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.

IBKR · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$123.6B
Gross margin (TTM)89%
Operating margin (TTM)82.7%
Net margin (TTM)9.2%
SectorFinancials
IndustryInvestment - Banking & Investment Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
60/ 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 Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View IBKR analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Ecolab Inc. leads (63 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Electronic brokerage).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. has 4 across 4.

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%

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.

Electronic brokerage

Market

Multi-asset electronic brokerage, clearing, custody, and financing (self-directed and institutional)

Geography

Global

Customer

Individual investors and institutional clients (e.g., hedge funds, advisors, proprietary trading firms, introducing brokers)

Role

Broker-dealer / clearing broker / platform operator

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
IBKR - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$74.6B
$123.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
89%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
82.7%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
9.2%
Sector
Materials
Financials
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
Investment - Banking & Investment Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Electronic brokerage
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
63 / 100
60 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Network, Legal, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinCompliance Advantage

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change CostsBrand Trust

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. strengths

Operational ExcellenceInteroperability Hub

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%

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Electronic brokerage

Competitive

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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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.