VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs S&P Global 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

S&P Global Inc.

SPGI · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)70%
Operating margin (TTM)40.7%
Net margin (TTM)27.5%
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
77/ 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 S&P Global Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SPGI analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: S&P Global Inc. leads (77 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); S&P Global Inc. has 5 segments (32.6% in S&P Global Market Intelligence).
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; S&P Global Inc. has 9 across 5.

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%

S&P Global Inc.

S&P Global Market Intelligence

Market

Financial market data, analytics, and workflow tools for institutions

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B (institutional investors, banks, insurers, corporates)

Role

Data/analytics and workflow software provider

Revenue share

32.6%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
S&P Global Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
SPGI - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
70%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
40.7%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
27.5%
Sector
Materials
Financials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
S&P Global Market Intelligence
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageBrand Trust

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change Costs

S&P Global Inc. strengths

Scope EconomiesRegulated Standards PipeDe Facto StandardSwitching Costs GeneralEcosystem ComplementsBenchmark Pricing Power

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%

S&P Global Inc. segments

Full profile >

S&P Global Market Intelligence

Oligopoly

32.6%

S&P Global Ratings

Oligopoly

29.6%

S&P Global Commodity Insights

Oligopoly

15.1%

S&P Global Mobility

Competitive

11.3%

S&P Dow Jones Indices

Oligopoly

11.4%

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.