VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Stock Comparison
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. vs Merck & Co., Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
ISRG · NASDAQ
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 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: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. leads (83 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Merck & Co., Inc.).
- Segment focus: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories); Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical).
- Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 across 3.
Primary market context
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Instruments and Accessories
Proprietary robotic surgery instruments, accessories, and consumables used per procedure on the da Vinci (and Ion) installed base
Global
Hospitals and surgery centers purchasing consumables; surgeons and OR teams as end users
Consumables OEM within proprietary platform
60.8%
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
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths
Merck & Co., Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. segments
Full profile >Systems
Quasi-Monopoly
Instruments and Accessories
Monopoly
Services
Monopoly
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.