VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. vs Mastercard Incorporated

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

Mastercard Incorporated

MA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$516.9B
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
77/ 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 Mastercard Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. leads (83 / 100 vs 77 / 100 for Mastercard Incorporated).
  • Segment focus: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories); Mastercard Incorporated has 2 segments (61.5% in Payment Network).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; Mastercard Incorporated has 6 across 3.

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%

Mastercard Incorporated

Payment Network

Market

Four-party card payment network (switching, acceptance, and network-related services)

Geography

Global

Customer

Issuers, acquirers, merchants, account holders

Role

Network operator (authorization, clearing, settlement) and rules/standards steward

Revenue share

61.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Mastercard Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
ISRG - NASDAQ
MA - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$516.9B
Sector
Healthcare
Financials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Instruments and Accessories
Payment Network
Market structure
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
29.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
83 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Network, Legal
Network, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleTraining Org Change CostsEcosystem ComplementsProcurement InertiaInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointService Field NetworkLong Term Contracts

Mastercard Incorporated strengths

Two Sided NetworkClearing SettlementBrand TrustRegulated Standards PipeData Network Effects

Segment mix

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Systems

Quasi-Monopoly

23.5%

Instruments and Accessories

Monopoly

60.8%

Services

Monopoly

15.6%

Mastercard Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Payment Network

Oligopoly

61.5%

Value-Added Services and Solutions

Competitive

38.5%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.