VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ferguson Enterprises Inc. vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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

Ferguson Enterprises Inc.

FERG · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$46.7B
Gross margin (TTM)30.8%
Operating margin (TTM)8.7%
Net margin (TTM)6.3%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
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 Ferguson Enterprises Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View FERG analysis

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

VRTX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
IndustryBiotechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-08
Moat score
99/ 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 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VRTX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Ferguson Enterprises Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ferguson Enterprises Inc. has 2 segments (95.1% in United States); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Ferguson Enterprises Inc. has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Ferguson Enterprises Inc.

United States

Market

Value-added distribution of plumbing, HVAC, PVF, waterworks and related products/services

Geography

United States

Customer

Residential and non-residential professional trade customers (contractors/builders) plus industrial and infrastructure customers

Role

Value-added distributor (B2B)

Revenue share

95.1%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Market

CFTR modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis

Geography

U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada

Customer

Patients (via specialty pharmacies/payers); CF care centers

Role

Drug developer/manufacturer

Revenue share

99.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Ferguson Enterprises Inc.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
FERG - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$46.7B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
30.8%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
8.7%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
6.3%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Industrial - Distribution
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
United States
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Competitive
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
72 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Ferguson Enterprises Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostScope EconomiesData Workflow Lockin

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs GeneralBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

Segment mix

Ferguson Enterprises Inc. segments

Full profile >

United States

Competitive

95.1%

Canada

Competitive

4.9%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Quasi-Monopoly

99.9%

Hemoglobinopathies Gene Therapy (CASGEVY)

Oligopoly

0.1%

Acute Pain (JOURNAVX)

Competitive

n/a

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.