VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs SBA Communications 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)$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

SBA Communications Corporation

SBAC · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorReal Estate
IndustryREIT - Specialty
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
71/ 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 SBA Communications Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SBAC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: SBA Communications Corporation leads (71 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); SBA Communications Corporation has 3 segments (69.5% in Domestic Site Leasing).
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; SBA Communications Corporation has 4 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%

SBA Communications Corporation

Domestic Site Leasing

Market

U.S. wireless macro tower leasing (multi-tenant co-location on communications towers)

Geography

United States and territories

Customer

Wireless service providers and other wireless network operators/tenants

Role

Independent tower owner/operator (REIT)

Revenue share

69.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
SBA Communications Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
SBAC - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$74.3B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
n/a
Sector
Materials
Real Estate
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
REIT - Specialty
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Domestic Site Leasing
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
16%-19% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
3,710
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term Contracts

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesTraining Org Change CostsBrand Trust

SBA Communications Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostOperational Excellence

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%

SBA Communications Corporation segments

Full profile >

Domestic Site Leasing

Oligopoly

69.5%

International Site Leasing

Oligopoly

24.8%

Site Development

Competitive

5.7%

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.