VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ecolab Inc. vs Walmart 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

Walmart Inc.

WMT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$894.3B
Gross margin (TTM)24.9%
Operating margin (TTM)4.1%
Net margin (TTM)3.3%
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
77/ 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 Walmart Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WMT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Walmart Inc. leads (77 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Ecolab Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ecolab Inc. has 4 segments (49.5% in Global Industrial); Walmart Inc. has 3 segments (68.3% in Walmart U.S.).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Ecolab Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Walmart Inc. has 6 across 4.

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%

Walmart Inc.

Walmart U.S.

Market

U.S. omnichannel discount retail and grocery (supercenters, neighborhood markets, eCommerce)

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers and small businesses; marketplace sellers and advertisers (for marketplace and retail media offerings)

Role

Retailer / marketplace operator / last-mile fulfillment network

Revenue share

68.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Ecolab Inc.
Walmart Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ECL - New York Stock Exchange
WMT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$894.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.3%
24.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.3%
4.1%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
3.3%
Sector
Materials
Consumer
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Global Industrial
Walmart U.S.
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
20%-22% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
63 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Demand, Network, Financial
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

Walmart Inc. strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostPhysical Network DensityHabit DefaultSupply Chain ControlEcosystem ComplementsFloat Prepayment

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%

Walmart Inc. segments

Full profile >

Walmart U.S.

Competitive

68.3%

Walmart International

Competitive

18.1%

Sam's Club U.S.

Oligopoly

13.6%

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.