VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. vs MercadoLibre, 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

MercadoLibre, Inc.

MELI · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
SectorTechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
73/ 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 MercadoLibre, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MELI analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. leads (83 / 100 vs 73 / 100 for MercadoLibre, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories); MercadoLibre, Inc. has 2 segments (58.5% in Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; MercadoLibre, 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%

MercadoLibre, Inc.

Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)

Market

Latin American e-commerce marketplace and commerce services (online marketplace, 1P retail, fulfillment/logistics, advertising)

Geography

Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and other countries)

Customer

Consumers (buyers) and merchants/brands (sellers), including MSMEs

Role

Marketplace operator + retailer + logistics orchestrator

Revenue share

58.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
MercadoLibre, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ISRG - NASDAQ
MELI - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Sector
Healthcare
Technology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Instruments and Accessories
Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)
Market structure
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
83 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Network, Legal
Network, Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Ecosystem ComplementsData Workflow Lockin

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths

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

MercadoLibre, Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkDistribution ControlSwitching Costs GeneralCompliance Advantage

Segment mix

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Systems

Quasi-Monopoly

23.5%

Instruments and Accessories

Monopoly

60.8%

Services

Monopoly

15.6%

MercadoLibre, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)

Oligopoly

58.5%

Fintech (Mercado Pago & credit)

Competitive

41.5%

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.