VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs MarketAxess Holdings 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

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

MKTX · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$6.7B
Gross margin (TTM)66.2%
Operating margin (TTM)41.2%
Net margin (TTM)26.2%
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-23
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 MarketAxess Holdings Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MKTX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: MarketAxess Holdings Inc. leads (74 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); MarketAxess Holdings Inc. has 2 segments (87.1% in Trade Execution Solutions).
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; MarketAxess Holdings Inc. has 6 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%

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

Trade Execution Solutions

Market

Electronic fixed-income trade execution platforms (credit and rates)

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional investors, broker-dealers, and alternative liquidity providers

Role

Electronic trading venue / marketplace operator

Revenue share

87.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
MarketAxess Holdings Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
MKTX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$6.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
66.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
41.2%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
26.2%
Sector
Materials
Financials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Trade Execution Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
19% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Network, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-23

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinCompliance Advantage

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change CostsBrand Trust

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkData Network EffectsSwitching Costs GeneralEcosystem Complements

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%

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. segments

Full profile >

Trade Execution Solutions

Oligopoly

87.1%

Services (Data, Post-Trade and Technology)

Competitive

12.9%

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.