VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs Meta Platforms, 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

Meta Platforms, Inc.

META · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$1.8T
Gross margin (TTM)82%
Operating margin (TTM)43.2%
Net margin (TTM)30.9%
SectorCommunication Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
94/ 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 Meta Platforms, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View META analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Meta Platforms, Inc. leads (94 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Meta Platforms, Inc. has 2 segments (98.7% in Family of Apps (FoA)).
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Meta Platforms, Inc. has 6 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%

Meta Platforms, Inc.

Family of Apps (FoA)

Market

Global social media platforms & social media advertising

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers and advertisers

Role

Two-sided platform (attention + ad auction)

Revenue share

98.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
META - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$1.8T
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
82%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
43.2%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
30.9%
Sector
Materials
Communication Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Family of Apps (FoA)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
55%-65% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
94 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Network, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change CostsBrand Trust

Meta Platforms, Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkDirect Network EffectsData Network EffectsEcosystem ComplementsCapex Knowhow ScaleLearning Curve Yield

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%

Meta Platforms, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Family of Apps (FoA)

Oligopoly

98.7%

Reality Labs (RL)

Quasi-Monopoly

1.3%

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.