VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. vs LPL Financial Holdings Inc.

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

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

ISRG · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
83/ 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 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ISRG analysis

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.

LPLA · Nasdaq

Market cap (USD)$29.9B
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
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 LPL Financial Holdings Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LPLA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. leads (83 / 100 vs 79 / 100 for LPL Financial Holdings Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories); LPL Financial Holdings Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Advisor Platform).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; LPL Financial Holdings Inc. has 6 across 4.

Primary market context

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Instruments and Accessories

Market

Proprietary robotic surgery instruments, accessories, and consumables used per procedure on the da Vinci (and Ion) installed base

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals and surgery centers purchasing consumables; surgeons and OR teams as end users

Role

Consumables OEM within proprietary platform

Revenue share

60.8%

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.

Advisor Platform

Market

Advisor-mediated wealth management platform (independent broker-dealer + RIA custody/clearing)

Geography

United States

Customer

Financial advisors and financial institutions

Role

Platform / broker-dealer / custodian

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ISRG - NASDAQ
LPLA - Nasdaq
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$29.9B
Sector
Healthcare
Financials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Instruments and Accessories
Advisor Platform
Market structure
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
23%-25% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
83 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Network, Legal
Supply, Demand, Legal, Network
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleTraining Org Change CostsEcosystem ComplementsProcurement InertiaInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointService Field NetworkData Workflow LockinLong Term Contracts

LPL Financial Holdings Inc. strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostSuite BundlingOperational ExcellenceCompliance AdvantageTwo Sided NetworkSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Systems

Quasi-Monopoly

23.5%

Instruments and Accessories

Monopoly

60.8%

Services

Monopoly

15.6%

LPL Financial Holdings Inc. segments

Full profile >

Advisor Platform

Oligopoly

100%

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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.