VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs Union Pacific Corporation

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

Union Pacific Corporation

UNP · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)45.9%
Operating margin (TTM)40.6%
Net margin (TTM)28.7%
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
72/ 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 Union Pacific Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View UNP analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Union Pacific Corporation leads (72 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Union Pacific Corporation has 4 segments (34.8% in Industrial).
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Union Pacific Corporation has 5 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%

Union Pacific Corporation

Industrial

Market

Rail freight transportation for industrial commodities (chemicals and plastics, metals and minerals, forest products, energy and specialized markets)

Geography

U.S. western two-thirds with interchange to other railroads; cross-border corridors to Mexico and Canada

Customer

Chemical producers, refiners, plastics manufacturers, construction and material suppliers, metals and mining, industrial shippers

Role

Class I rail carrier / linehaul freight transport

Revenue share

34.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Union Pacific Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
UNP - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
45.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
40.6%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
28.7%
Sector
Materials
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Industrial
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Ecolab Inc. strengths

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

Union Pacific Corporation strengths

Permits Rights Of WayPhysical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

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%

Union Pacific Corporation segments

Full profile >

Bulk

Oligopoly

29.7%

Industrial

Oligopoly

34.8%

Premium

Oligopoly

29.5%

Other subsidiary, accessorial and other revenues

Competitive

5.9%

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.