VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

HCA Healthcare, Inc. vs Linde 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)$106.5B
SectorHealthcare
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

Linde plc

LIN · Nasdaq Stock Market

Market cap (USD)
SectorMaterials
CountryIE
Data as of2025-12-29
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 Linde plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LIN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Linde plc leads (72 / 100 vs 67 / 100 for HCA Healthcare, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Hospitals and related healthcare entities); Linde plc has 4 segments (43.8% in Americas).
  • Moat breadth: HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Linde plc has 5 across 3.

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%

Linde plc

Americas

Market

Industrial gases (Americas)

Geography

Americas

Customer

B2B + healthcare

Role

Producer, distributor, on-site plant owner/operator

Revenue share

43.8%

Side-by-side metrics

HCA Healthcare, Inc.
Linde plc
Ticker / Exchange
HCA - New York Stock Exchange
LIN - Nasdaq Stock Market
Market cap (USD)
$106.5B
n/a
Sector
Healthcare
Materials
HQ country
US
IE
Primary segment
Hospitals and related healthcare entities
Americas
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
67 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network Density

HCA Healthcare, Inc. strengths

Permits Rights Of WayScope EconomiesSwitching Costs General

Linde plc strengths

Long Term ContractsScale Economies Unit CostCapex Knowhow ScaleIP Choke Point

Segment mix

HCA Healthcare, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Hospitals and related healthcare entities

Oligopoly

100%

Linde plc segments

Full profile >

Americas

Oligopoly

43.8%

EMEA

Oligopoly

25.3%

APAC

Oligopoly

20.1%

Engineering

Competitive

7%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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

View the moat stocks list

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.