VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. vs Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

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

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.

EL · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-23
Moat score
70/ 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 The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View EL analysis

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

ISRG · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
83/ 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 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ISRG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. leads (83 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.).
  • Segment focus: The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. has 5 segments (48.6% in Skin Care); Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Monopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 across 4.

Primary market context

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.

Skin Care

Market

Prestige skin care products

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers

Role

Branded manufacturer/marketer

Revenue share

48.6%

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Instruments and Accessories

Market

Proprietary robotic surgery instruments, accessories, and consumables used per procedure on the da Vinci (and Ion) installed base

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals and surgery centers purchasing consumables; surgeons and OR teams as end users

Role

Consumables OEM within proprietary platform

Revenue share

60.8%

Side-by-side metrics

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
EL - New York Stock Exchange
ISRG - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Skin Care
Instruments and Accessories
Market structure
Oligopoly
Monopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
70 / 100
83 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Supply, Demand, Network, Legal
Last update
2025-12-23
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. strengths

Brand TrustDistribution ControlOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleTraining Org Change CostsEcosystem ComplementsProcurement InertiaInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointService Field NetworkData Workflow LockinLong Term Contracts

Segment mix

The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. segments

Full profile >

Skin Care

Oligopoly

48.6%

Makeup

Oligopoly

29.4%

Fragrance

Oligopoly

17.4%

Hair Care

Competitive

3.9%

Other

Competitive

0.7%

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Systems

Quasi-Monopoly

23.5%

Instruments and Accessories

Monopoly

60.8%

Services

Monopoly

15.6%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.