VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

ICE · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$95.1B
Gross margin (TTM)55.4%
Operating margin (TTM)38.1%
Net margin (TTM)25.2%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Data & Stock Exchanges
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
87/ 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 Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ICE analysis

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

VRTX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
IndustryBiotechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-08
Moat score
99/ 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 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VRTX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 87 / 100 for Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has 3 segments (53.4% in Exchanges); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has 10 moat types across 4 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

Exchanges

Market

Derivatives, cash equities, and listings exchanges plus central clearing (CCP) services

Geography

Global

Customer

Market participants (banks, broker-dealers, asset managers, proprietary traders) and issuers

Role

Exchange operator + clearing house (CCP)

Revenue share

53.4%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Market

CFTR modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis

Geography

U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada

Customer

Patients (via specialty pharmacies/payers); CF care centers

Role

Drug developer/manufacturer

Revenue share

99.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
ICE - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$95.1B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
55.4%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
38.1%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
25.2%
n/a
Sector
Financials
Healthcare
Industry
Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Exchanges
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
75% (reported)
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
87 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Legal, Demand, Supply
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. strengths

Clearing SettlementConcession LicenseTwo Sided NetworkBrand TrustData Workflow LockinData Network EffectsPhysical Network DensityInteroperability HubStandards RegistryCompliance Advantage

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs GeneralBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

Segment mix

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Exchanges

Oligopoly

53.4%

Fixed Income and Data Services

Oligopoly

24.8%

Mortgage Technology

Oligopoly

21.8%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Quasi-Monopoly

99.9%

Hemoglobinopathies Gene Therapy (CASGEVY)

Oligopoly

0.1%

Acute Pain (JOURNAVX)

Competitive

n/a

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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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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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.