VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs Thermo Fisher Scientific 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

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

TMO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$213.3B
Gross margin (TTM)39.8%
Operating margin (TTM)18.2%
Net margin (TTM)15%
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
Moat score
64/ 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 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View TMO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. leads (64 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has 4 segments (53.6% in Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has 8 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%

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services

Market

Laboratory supplies distribution/market channel plus outsourced biopharma services (CDMO/CRO)

Geography

Global

Customer

Pharma & biotech; academic/government labs; industrial and clinical laboratories

Role

Distributor/market channel and outsourced services provider

Revenue share

53.6%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
TMO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$213.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
39.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
18.2%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
15%
Sector
Materials
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
64 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesBrand Trust

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change Costs

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. strengths

Format Lock InRegulated Standards PipeDistribution ControlProcurement InertiaCapacity 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%

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. segments

Full profile >

Life Sciences Solutions

Oligopoly

19%

Analytical Instruments

Oligopoly

17%

Specialty Diagnostics

Oligopoly

10.4%

Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services

Competitive

53.6%

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.