VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

Wide Moat Stocks Home My Collections

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs James Hardie Industries 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

James Hardie Industries plc

JHX · ASX

Market cap (USD)—
Gross margin (TTM)36.3%
Operating margin (TTM)13.6%
Net margin (TTM)4.7%
SectorMaterials
CountryIE
Data as of2025-12-28
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 James Hardie Industries plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View JHX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: James Hardie Industries plc leads (74 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); James Hardie Industries plc has 4 segments (64.2% in Siding & Trim).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; James Hardie Industries plc has 5 across 2.

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%

James Hardie Industries plc

Siding & Trim

Market

North American fiber cement exterior siding & trim (plus related exterior products)

Geography

North America (primarily U.S. and Canada)

Customer

Homebuilders, contractors, remodelers, dealers/distributors, and retailers

Role

Manufacturer / branded building-products supplier

Revenue share

64.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
James Hardie Industries plc
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
JHX - ASX
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
36.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
13.6%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
4.7%
Sector
Materials
Materials
HQ country
US
IE
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Siding & Trim
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
88%-92% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term ContractsBrand Trust

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesTraining Org Change Costs

James Hardie Industries plc strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleOperational ExcellenceDistribution Control

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%

James Hardie Industries plc segments

Full profile >

Siding & Trim

Quasi-Monopoly

64.2%

Deck, Rail & Accessories

Oligopoly

11.7%

Australia & New Zealand

Oligopoly

11.6%

Europe

Competitive

12.5%

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.