VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs IDEXX Laboratories, 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

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.

IDXX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$54.9B
Gross margin (TTM)61.7%
Operating margin (TTM)31.3%
Net margin (TTM)24.7%
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
82/ 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 IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View IDXX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. leads (82 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. has 4 segments (91.7% in Companion Animal Group).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. has 5 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%

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.

Companion Animal Group

Market

Veterinary diagnostics and practice management software for companion animals

Geography

Global

Customer

Veterinary practices, corporate veterinary groups, and reference laboratories

Role

Diagnostics platform owner (in-clinic instruments + consumables) and reference lab/service provider; practice management software provider

Revenue share

91.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
IDXX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$54.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
61.7%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
31.3%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
24.7%
Sector
Materials
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Companion Animal Group
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
63 / 100
82 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base Consumables

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change CostsBrand Trust

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityRegulated 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%

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Companion Animal Group

Oligopoly

91.7%

Water Quality Products

Oligopoly

4.7%

Livestock, Poultry and Dairy

Competitive

3.1%

Other (OPTI Medical and out-licensing)

Competitive

0.4%

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.