VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Elevance Health, Inc. vs HCA Healthcare, Inc.

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

Elevance Health, Inc.

ELV · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$82.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Healthcare Plans
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
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 Elevance Health, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ELV analysis

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

HCA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$107.7B
Gross margin (TTM)15.6%
Operating margin (TTM)15.6%
Net margin (TTM)8.6%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Care Facilities
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
67/ 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 HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HCA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Elevance Health, Inc. leads (74 / 100 vs 67 / 100 for HCA Healthcare, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Elevance Health, Inc. has 3 segments (85.2% in Health Benefits); HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Hospitals and related healthcare entities).
  • Moat breadth: Elevance Health, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Elevance Health, Inc.

Health Benefits

Market

U.S. health insurance and managed care

Geography

United States

Customer

Employers, individuals, and government programs

Role

Payer / managed care organization

Revenue share

85.2%

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

Hospitals and related healthcare entities

Market

Acute care hospitals and outpatient healthcare services

Geography

United States (multi-state) and England (United Kingdom)

Customer

Patients and third-party payers

Role

Provider operator

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Elevance Health, Inc.
HCA Healthcare, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ELV - New York Stock Exchange
HCA - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$82.8B
$107.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
15.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
15.6%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
8.6%
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
Industry
Medical - Healthcare Plans
Medical - Care Facilities
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Health Benefits
Hospitals and related healthcare entities
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
67 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand, Supply
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-09
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scope EconomiesSwitching Costs General

Elevance Health, Inc. strengths

Concession LicenseBrand TrustScale Economies Unit CostGovernment Contracting RelationshipsData Workflow LockinSuite Bundling

HCA Healthcare, Inc. strengths

Permits Rights Of WayPhysical Network Density

Segment mix

Elevance Health, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Health Benefits

Oligopoly

85.2%

CarelonRx

Oligopoly

12.8%

Carelon Services

Competitive

1.9%

HCA Healthcare, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Hospitals and related healthcare entities

Oligopoly

100%

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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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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

View expansion-stage stocks

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.