VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs Constellation Brands, 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

Constellation Brands, Inc.

STZ · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$24.7B
Gross margin (TTM)51.4%
Operating margin (TTM)34.6%
Net margin (TTM)12.7%
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-23
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 Constellation Brands, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View STZ analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Constellation Brands, Inc. leads (76 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Constellation Brands, Inc. has 2 segments (83.7% in Beer).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Constellation Brands, Inc. has 4 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%

Constellation Brands, Inc.

Beer

Market

U.S. high-end beer (imported beer + above-premium American beer)

Geography

United States

Customer

Beer wholesalers/distributors; retailers; on-premise

Role

Importer/producer; marketer; supplier to distributors

Revenue share

83.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Constellation Brands, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
STZ - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$24.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
51.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
34.6%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
12.7%
Sector
Materials
Consumer
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Beer
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
63 / 100
76 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-23

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Ecolab Inc. strengths

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

Constellation Brands, Inc. strengths

Contractual ExclusivityDistribution ControlCapacity Moat

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%

Constellation Brands, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Beer

Oligopoly

83.7%

Wine and Spirits

Competitive

16.4%

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.