VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Stock Comparison

General Dynamics Corporation vs Merck & Co., Inc.

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

General Dynamics Corporation

GD · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$92.4B
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
80/ 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 General Dynamics Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GD analysis

Merck & Co., Inc.

MRK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$250.9B
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
Moat score
71/ 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 Merck & Co., Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MRK analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: General Dynamics Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Merck & Co., Inc.).
  • Segment focus: General Dynamics Corporation has 4 segments (30.1% in Marine Systems (Nuclear subs + surface shipbuilding)); Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical).
  • Primary market structure: Duopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: General Dynamics Corporation has 11 moat types across 3 domains; Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 across 3.

Primary market context

General Dynamics Corporation

Marine Systems (Nuclear subs + surface shipbuilding)

Market

U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine construction and major surface combatant shipbuilding/lifecycle services

Geography

United States

Customer

Government (primarily U.S. Navy)

Role

Prime contractor / shipbuilder / lifecycle services

Revenue share

30.1%

Merck & Co., Inc.

Pharmaceutical

Market

Branded prescription pharmaceuticals & human vaccines

Geography

Global

Customer

Wholesalers/retailers, managed care and government payers, hospitals/clinics

Role

R&D-intensive innovator, manufacturer, and marketer

Revenue share

89.5%

Side-by-side metrics

General Dynamics Corporation
Merck & Co., Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
GD - New York Stock Exchange
MRK - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$92.4B
$250.9B
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Marine Systems (Nuclear subs + surface shipbuilding)
Pharmaceutical
Market structure
Duopoly
Competitive
Market share
45%-55% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
5,000
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-29
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Regulated Standards PipeCapex Knowhow Scale

General Dynamics Corporation strengths

Brand TrustService Field NetworkLong Term ContractsGovernment Contracting RelationshipsDesign In QualificationProcurement InertiaCapacity MoatCompliance AdvantageSuite Bundling

Merck & Co., Inc. strengths

IP Choke PointScope EconomiesData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

General Dynamics Corporation segments

Full profile >

Aerospace (Gulfstream + Jet Aviation)

Oligopoly

23.6%

Marine Systems (Nuclear subs + surface shipbuilding)

Duopoly

30.1%

Combat Systems (Land vehicles + munitions)

Oligopoly

18.9%

Technologies (C5ISR + Federal IT)

Competitive

27.5%

Merck & Co., Inc. segments

Full profile >

Pharmaceutical

Competitive

89.5%

Animal Health

Oligopoly

9.2%

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.