VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

HCA Healthcare, Inc. vs Judges Scientific plc

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

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

HCA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$116B
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

Judges Scientific plc

JDG · London Stock Exchange - AIM

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorTechnology
Industry
CountryGB
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
63/ 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 Judges Scientific plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View JDG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: HCA Healthcare, Inc. leads (67 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Judges Scientific plc).
  • Segment focus: HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Hospitals and related healthcare entities); Judges Scientific plc has 2 segments (51.7% in Vacuum).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Judges Scientific plc has 3 across 1.

Primary market context

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%

Judges Scientific plc

Vacuum

Market

Vacuum and surface-science related instrumentation (e.g., UHV/vacuum components and systems, thin-film/surface engineering adjacent tools)

Geography

Global

Customer

Research labs and high-tech manufacturing

Role

Equipment manufacturer

Revenue share

51.7%

Side-by-side metrics

HCA Healthcare, Inc.
Judges Scientific plc
Ticker / Exchange
HCA - New York Stock Exchange
JDG - London Stock Exchange - AIM
Market cap (USD)
$116B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
15.6%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
15.6%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
8.6%
n/a
Sector
Healthcare
Technology
Industry
Medical - Care Facilities
n/a
HQ country
US
GB
Primary segment
Hospitals and related healthcare entities
Vacuum
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
67 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

HCA Healthcare, Inc. strengths

Permits Rights Of WayScope EconomiesPhysical Network Density

Judges Scientific plc strengths

Brand TrustBuy-and-build acquisition engine

Segment mix

HCA Healthcare, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Hospitals and related healthcare entities

Oligopoly

100%

Judges Scientific plc segments

Full profile >

Materials Sciences

Competitive

48.4%

Vacuum

Competitive

51.7%

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.