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 Nestle S.A.

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

Nestle S.A.

NESN · SIX Swiss Exchange

Market cap (USD)—
Gross margin (TTM)46.8%
Operating margin (TTM)15.5%
Net margin (TTM)11.8%
SectorConsumer
CountryCH
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
57/ 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 Nestle S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NESN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Ecolab Inc. leads (63 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for Nestle S.A.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Nestle S.A. has 7 segments (26.9% in Powdered and Liquid Beverages).
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Nestle S.A. 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%

Nestle S.A.

Powdered and Liquid Beverages

Market

Packaged coffee (instant, roast and ground, portioned) and other powdered beverages (cocoa/malt, creamers)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers (end-users) via retail and e-commerce; plus out-of-home channels

Role

Branded manufacturer and marketer; system operator for portioned coffee (machines + capsules)

Revenue share

26.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Nestle S.A.
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
NESN - SIX Swiss Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
46.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
15.5%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
11.8%
Sector
Materials
Consumer
HQ country
US
CH
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Powdered and Liquid Beverages
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
25% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
57 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesBrand Trust

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change Costs

Nestle S.A. strengths

Preferential Input AccessLearning Curve YieldDistribution 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%

Nestle S.A. segments

Full profile >

Powdered and Liquid Beverages

Oligopoly

26.9%

PetCare

Oligopoly

20.7%

Nutrition and Health Science

Oligopoly

16.6%

Prepared dishes and cooking aids

Competitive

11.7%

Milk products and Ice cream

Competitive

11.4%

Confectionery

Oligopoly

9.2%

Water

Competitive

3.5%

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.