VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

HCA Healthcare, Inc. vs Waste Management, Inc.

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

Waste Management, Inc.

WM · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
79/ 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 Waste Management, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WM analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Waste Management, Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 67 / 100 for HCA Healthcare, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Hospitals and related healthcare entities); Waste Management, Inc. has 4 segments (82.2% in Collection and Disposal).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Waste Management, Inc. has 7 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%

Waste Management, Inc.

Collection and Disposal

Market

Municipal, commercial, and industrial solid waste collection, transfer, and landfill disposal

Geography

North America (primarily US and Canada)

Customer

Municipalities and end-customers (residential, commercial, industrial) via direct and contract channels

Role

Integrated hauler + transfer + landfill owner/operator

Revenue share

82.2%

Side-by-side metrics

HCA Healthcare, Inc.
Waste Management, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
HCA - New York Stock Exchange
WM - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$106.5B
n/a
Sector
Healthcare
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Hospitals and related healthcare entities
Collection and Disposal
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
67 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Permits Rights Of WayPhysical Network Density

HCA Healthcare, Inc. strengths

Scope EconomiesSwitching Costs General

Waste Management, Inc. strengths

Capacity MoatPricing power via yield management and contracted rate actionsOperational ExcellencePreferential Input AccessRegulated Standards Pipe

Segment mix

HCA Healthcare, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Hospitals and related healthcare entities

Oligopoly

100%

Waste Management, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Collection and Disposal

Oligopoly

82.2%

Recycling Processing and Sales

Competitive

6%

WM Renewable Energy

Competitive

1.7%

WM Healthcare Solutions

Oligopoly

10%

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.