VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs Old Dominion Freight Line, 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)$74.3B
Gross margin (TTM)44.3%
Operating margin (TTM)17.3%
Net margin (TTM)12.5%
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
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

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.

ODFL · The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Market cap (USD)$33.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
IndustryTrucking
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
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 Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ODFL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. leads (76 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. has 2 segments (99.1% in LTL Services).
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. has 7 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%

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.

LTL Services

Market

North American less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation

Geography

North America (primarily United States)

Customer

B2B shippers

Role

Asset-based LTL carrier (terminal network + pickup & delivery + linehaul)

Revenue share

99.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
ODFL - The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Market cap (USD)
$74.3B
$33.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
n/a
Sector
Materials
Industrials
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
Trucking
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
LTL Services
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
11%-14% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
76 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-02

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

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityCapex Knowhow ScaleOperational ExcellenceReputation ReviewsSwitching Costs GeneralSuite BundlingProcurement Inertia

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%

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. segments

Full profile >

LTL Services

Oligopoly

99.1%

Other Services (Value-added logistics)

Competitive

0.9%

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.