VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Alphabet Inc. vs Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

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

Alphabet Inc.

GOOGL · The Nasdaq Stock Market

Market cap (USD)$3.7T
SectorCommunication Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
86/ 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 Alphabet Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GOOGL 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: Alphabet Inc. leads (86 / 100 vs 83 / 100 for Intuitive Surgical, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alphabet Inc. has 6 segments (56.6% in Google Search & other (Advertising)); Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Monopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Alphabet Inc. has 10 moat types across 4 domains; Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 across 4.

Primary market context

Alphabet Inc.

Google Search & other (Advertising)

Market

Search advertising (intent-based digital ads)

Geography

Global

Customer

Advertisers (SMB to enterprise)

Role

Ad platform / publisher

Revenue share

56.6%

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

Alphabet Inc.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
GOOGL - The Nasdaq Stock Market
ISRG - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$3.7T
n/a
Sector
Communication Services
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Google Search & other (Advertising)
Instruments and Accessories
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Monopoly
Market share
88%-91% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
8,115
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
86 / 100
83 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Legal, Supply
Supply, Demand, Network, Legal
Last update
2025-12-21
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow ScaleEcosystem Complements

Alphabet Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsHabit DefaultTwo Sided NetworkContent Rights CurrencyOperational ExcellenceDefault OS GatewaySwitching Costs GeneralIncubation & patient capital

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths

Training Org Change CostsProcurement InertiaInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointService Field NetworkData Workflow LockinLong Term Contracts

Segment mix

Alphabet Inc. segments

Full profile >

Google Search & other (Advertising)

Quasi-Monopoly

56.6%

YouTube (Advertising)

Oligopoly

10.3%

Google Network (Advertising)

Competitive

8.7%

Google Subscriptions, Platforms & Devices

Quasi-Monopoly

11.5%

Google Cloud

Oligopoly

12.4%

Other Bets

Competitive

0.5%

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?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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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.