VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs Linde 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

Linde plc

LIN · Nasdaq Stock Market

Market cap (USD)—
Gross margin (TTM)40.5%
Operating margin (TTM)27.2%
Net margin (TTM)21.2%
SectorMaterials
CountryIE
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
72/ 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 Linde plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LIN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Linde plc leads (72 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Linde plc has 4 segments (43.8% in Americas).
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Linde plc 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%

Linde plc

Americas

Market

Industrial gases (Americas)

Geography

Americas

Customer

B2B + healthcare

Role

Producer, distributor, on-site plant owner/operator

Revenue share

43.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Linde plc
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
LIN - Nasdaq Stock Market
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
40.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
27.2%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
21.2%
Sector
Materials
Materials
HQ country
US
IE
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Americas
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term Contracts

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesTraining Org Change CostsBrand Trust

Linde plc strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostCapex Knowhow ScaleIP Choke Point

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%

Linde plc segments

Full profile >

Americas

Oligopoly

43.8%

EMEA

Oligopoly

25.3%

APAC

Oligopoly

20.1%

Engineering

Competitive

7%

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.