VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs Monster Beverage Corporation

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

Monster Beverage Corporation

MNST · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$65.7B
Gross margin (TTM)55.8%
Operating margin (TTM)28.3%
Net margin (TTM)21.7%
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
76/ 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 Monster Beverage Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MNST analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Monster Beverage Corporation leads (76 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Monster Beverage Corporation has 4 segments (91.6% in Monster Energy Drinks).
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Monster Beverage Corporation 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%

Monster Beverage Corporation

Monster Energy Drinks

Market

Energy drinks

Geography

Global

Customer

Retail consumers (via bottlers/distributors and retailers); some direct-to-retail

Role

Brand owner, marketer, and RTD finished-goods seller

Revenue share

91.6%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Monster Beverage Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
MNST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$65.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
55.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
28.3%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
21.7%
Sector
Materials
Consumer
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Monster Energy Drinks
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
33%-35% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
76 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Ecolab Inc. strengths

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

Monster Beverage Corporation strengths

Distribution ControlPreferential Input AccessContractual ExclusivitySpecialty flavor formulations (AFF)

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%

Monster Beverage Corporation segments

Full profile >

Monster Energy Drinks

Oligopoly

91.6%

Strategic Brands

Oligopoly

5.8%

Alcohol Brands

Competitive

2.3%

Other (AFF Third-Party Products)

Competitive

0.3%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.