VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Stock Comparison

EssilorLuxottica vs Gilead Sciences, Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

EssilorLuxottica

EL · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)$110.3B
Gross margin (TTM)61.5%
Operating margin (TTM)12.4%
Net margin (TTM)8.5%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Instruments & Supplies
CountryFR
Data as of2026-01-11
Moat score
69/ 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 EssilorLuxottica's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View EL analysis

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

GILD · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$187.8B
Gross margin (TTM)80.8%
Operating margin (TTM)37.4%
Net margin (TTM)28.9%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
74/ 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 Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GILD analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Gilead Sciences, Inc. leads (74 / 100 vs 69 / 100 for EssilorLuxottica).
  • Segment focus: EssilorLuxottica has 2 segments (52.7% in Direct to Consumer); Gilead Sciences, Inc. has 5 segments (68.5% in HIV).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: EssilorLuxottica has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Gilead Sciences, Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

EssilorLuxottica

Direct to Consumer

Market

Optical retail and e-commerce (prescription eyewear and sunglasses)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers (end-users)

Role

Omnichannel retailer + vertically integrated manufacturer/brand owner

Revenue share

52.7%

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

HIV

Market

HIV treatment and prevention medicines (antiretroviral therapy and PrEP)

Geography

Global (U.S. and Europe are major markets)

Customer

Patients/prescribers; reimbursed by public and private payers; distributed via wholesalers and specialty pharmacies

Role

Drug developer and marketing authorization holder

Revenue share

68.5%

Side-by-side metrics

EssilorLuxottica
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
EL - Euronext Paris
GILD - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$110.3B
$187.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
61.5%
80.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
12.4%
37.4%
Net margin (TTM)
8.5%
28.9%
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
Industry
Medical - Instruments & Supplies
Drug Manufacturers - General
HQ country
FR
US
Primary segment
Direct to Consumer
HIV
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
50%-60% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
69 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-11
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

IP Choke PointBrand Trust

EssilorLuxottica strengths

Distribution ControlScale Economies Unit CostContractual Exclusivity

Gilead Sciences, Inc. strengths

Habit DefaultSwitching Costs GeneralService Field NetworkCapex Knowhow ScaleCompliance AdvantageRegulated Standards Pipe

Segment mix

EssilorLuxottica segments

Full profile >

Professional Solutions

Oligopoly

47.3%

Direct to Consumer

Competitive

52.7%

Gilead Sciences, Inc. segments

Full profile >

HIV

Oligopoly

68.5%

Oncology (Cell Therapy + Trodelvy)

Oligopoly

11.5%

Liver Disease

Oligopoly

10.6%

Veklury (Remdesivir)

Competitive

6.3%

Other Products

Competitive

3.1%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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

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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.