VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs Unilever PLC

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

Unilever PLC

ULVR · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)—
Gross margin (TTM)35.4%
Operating margin (TTM)16.1%
Net margin (TTM)9.9%
SectorConsumer
CountryGB
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
65/ 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 Unilever PLC's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ULVR analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Unilever PLC leads (65 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Unilever PLC has 4 segments (25.9% in Personal Care).
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Unilever PLC has 3 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%

Unilever PLC

Personal Care

Market

Branded personal care and hygiene (deodorants, skin cleansing, oral care)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers (retail, e-commerce)

Role

Brand owner / manufacturer

Revenue share

25.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Unilever PLC
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
ULVR - London Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
35.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
16.1%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
9.9%
Sector
Materials
Consumer
HQ country
US
GB
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Personal Care
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
65 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Ecolab Inc. strengths

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

Unilever PLC strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostDistribution Control

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%

Unilever PLC segments

Full profile >

Beauty & Wellbeing

Oligopoly

25.1%

Personal Care

Oligopoly

25.9%

Home Care

Oligopoly

23.4%

Foods

Competitive

25.5%

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.