VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Stock Comparison
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. vs Merck & Co., Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.
ICE · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View ICE analysisMerck & Co., Inc.
MRK · New York Stock Exchange
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 analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. leads (87 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Merck & Co., Inc.).
- Segment focus: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has 3 segments (53.4% in Exchanges); Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has 10 moat types across 4 domains; Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 across 3.
Primary market context
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.
Exchanges
Derivatives, cash equities, and listings exchanges plus central clearing (CCP) services
Global
Market participants (banks, broker-dealers, asset managers, proprietary traders) and issuers
Exchange operator + clearing house (CCP)
53.4%
Merck & Co., Inc.
Pharmaceutical
Branded prescription pharmaceuticals & human vaccines
Global
Wholesalers/retailers, managed care and government payers, hospitals/clinics
R&D-intensive innovator, manufacturer, and marketer
89.5%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. strengths
Merck & Co., Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. segments
Full profile >Exchanges
Oligopoly
Fixed Income and Data Services
Oligopoly
Mortgage Technology
Oligopoly
Merck & Co., Inc. segments
Full profile >Pharmaceutical
Competitive
Animal Health
Oligopoly
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View the moat stocks listCuration & 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.