VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Wednesday, January 7, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs Tesla, 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)$74.6B
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

Tesla, Inc.

TSLA · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$1.5T
Gross margin (TTM)17%
Operating margin (TTM)4.7%
Net margin (TTM)5.5%
SectorConsumer
IndustryAuto - Manufacturers
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
75/ 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 Tesla, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View TSLA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Tesla, Inc. leads (75 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Tesla, Inc. has 3 segments (78.9% in Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Tesla, Inc. has 9 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%

Tesla, Inc.

Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)

Market

Battery-electric passenger vehicles (BEV) and connected vehicle software

Geography

United States (market share datapoint); global competition

Customer

Consumers and small fleets

Role

OEM (design, manufacture, direct-to-consumer sales)

Revenue share

78.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Tesla, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
TSLA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$74.6B
$1.5T
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
17%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
4.7%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
5.5%
Sector
Materials
Consumer
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
Auto - Manufacturers
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
56.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Network, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinBrand Trust

Ecolab Inc. strengths

Compliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsTraining Org Change Costs

Tesla, Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsCapex Knowhow ScalePhysical Network DensitySwitching Costs GeneralScope EconomiesScale Economies Unit Cost

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%

Tesla, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)

Competitive

78.9%

Services and Other (Supercharging + after-sales + used vehicles + insurance)

Quasi-Monopoly

10.8%

Energy Generation and Storage (Megapack + Powerwall + solar)

Oligopoly

10.3%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.