VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Stock Comparison

Johnson & Johnson vs Merck & Co., Inc.

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

Johnson & Johnson

JNJ · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$578.2B
Gross margin (TTM)72.8%
Operating margin (TTM)27.2%
Net margin (TTM)28.5%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
61/ 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 Johnson & Johnson's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View JNJ analysis

Merck & Co., Inc.

MRK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$304.6B
Gross margin (TTM)81.5%
Operating margin (TTM)41.2%
Net margin (TTM)28.1%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
Moat score
71/ 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 Merck & Co., Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MRK analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Merck & Co., Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 61 / 100 for Johnson & Johnson).
  • Segment focus: Johnson & Johnson has 2 segments (64.1% in Innovative Medicine); Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical).
  • Moat breadth: Johnson & Johnson has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 across 3.

Primary market context

Johnson & Johnson

Innovative Medicine

Market

Branded prescription pharmaceuticals (biopharma)

Geography

Global

Customer

Wholesalers, hospitals, retailers, healthcare professionals, payers

Role

Drug discovery, development, manufacturing, commercialization

Revenue share

64.1%

Merck & Co., Inc.

Pharmaceutical

Market

Branded prescription pharmaceuticals & human vaccines

Geography

Global

Customer

Wholesalers/retailers, managed care and government payers, hospitals/clinics

Role

R&D-intensive innovator, manufacturer, and marketer

Revenue share

89.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Johnson & Johnson
Merck & Co., Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
JNJ - New York Stock Exchange
MRK - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$578.2B
$304.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
72.8%
81.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
27.2%
41.2%
Net margin (TTM)
28.5%
28.1%
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
Industry
Drug Manufacturers - General
Drug Manufacturers - General
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Innovative Medicine
Pharmaceutical
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
61 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand, Supply
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-21
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards Pipe

Johnson & Johnson strengths

Training Org Change CostsBrand TrustService Field Network

Merck & Co., Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleScope EconomiesData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Johnson & Johnson segments

Full profile >

Innovative Medicine

Competitive

64.1%

MedTech

Oligopoly

35.9%

Merck & Co., Inc. segments

Full profile >

Pharmaceutical

Competitive

89.5%

Animal Health

Oligopoly

9.2%

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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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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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.