VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. vs Novo Nordisk A/S

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

Novo Nordisk A/S

NOVOB · Nasdaq Copenhagen

Market cap (USD)$232.3B
SectorHealthcare
CountryDK
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
85/ 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 Novo Nordisk A/S's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NOVOB analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Novo Nordisk A/S leads (85 / 100 vs 83 / 100 for Intuitive Surgical, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories); Novo Nordisk A/S has 3 segments (71.1% in Diabetes care).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; Novo Nordisk A/S has 5 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%

Novo Nordisk A/S

Diabetes care

Market

Diabetes pharmaceuticals (GLP-1 for type 2 diabetes, insulin, and related therapies)

Geography

Global

Customer

Payers/providers and patients (via wholesalers/pharmacies/hospitals)

Role

Originator pharma (R&D, regulatory, manufacturing, commercialization)

Revenue share

71.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Novo Nordisk A/S
Ticker / Exchange
ISRG - NASDAQ
NOVOB - Nasdaq Copenhagen
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$232.3B
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
HQ country
US
DK
Primary segment
Instruments and Accessories
Diabetes care
Market structure
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
33.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
83 / 100
85 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Network, Legal
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

IP Choke Point

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleTraining Org Change CostsEcosystem ComplementsProcurement InertiaInstalled Base ConsumablesService Field NetworkData Workflow LockinLong Term Contracts

Novo Nordisk A/S strengths

Regulated Standards PipeCapacity MoatBrand TrustLearning Curve Yield

Segment mix

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Systems

Quasi-Monopoly

23.5%

Instruments and Accessories

Monopoly

60.8%

Services

Monopoly

15.6%

Novo Nordisk A/S segments

Full profile >

Diabetes care

Oligopoly

71.1%

Obesity care

Duopoly

22.4%

Rare disease

Oligopoly

6.4%

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.