VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

KKR & Co. Inc. vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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

KKR & Co. Inc.

KKR · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$120B
Gross margin (TTM)19.5%
Operating margin (TTM)2.6%
Net margin (TTM)14.1%
SectorFinancials
IndustryAsset Management
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
67/ 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 KKR & Co. Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View KKR analysis

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

VRTX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
IndustryBiotechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-08
Moat score
99/ 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 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VRTX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 67 / 100 for KKR & Co. Inc.).
  • Segment focus: KKR & Co. Inc. has 3 segments (52.3% in Asset Management); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: KKR & Co. Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

KKR & Co. Inc.

Asset Management

Market

Alternative asset management (private equity, private credit, real assets, and related strategies)

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional and wealth investors (LPs) allocating to private markets

Role

General partner / investment manager

Revenue share

52.3%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Market

CFTR modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis

Geography

U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada

Customer

Patients (via specialty pharmacies/payers); CF care centers

Role

Drug developer/manufacturer

Revenue share

99.9%

Side-by-side metrics

KKR & Co. Inc.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
KKR - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$120B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
19.5%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
2.6%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
14.1%
n/a
Sector
Financials
Healthcare
Industry
Asset Management
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Asset Management
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
3.5%-5% (implied)
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
67 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Financial, Legal
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2026-01-06
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

KKR & Co. Inc. strengths

Long Term ContractsBrand TrustScale Economies Unit CostDeal sourcing and origination relationshipsFloat PrepaymentCompliance AdvantageCapital markets and exit execution capability

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs GeneralBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

Segment mix

KKR & Co. Inc. segments

Full profile >

Asset Management

Oligopoly

52.3%

Insurance

Competitive

46.5%

Strategic Holdings

Competitive

1.2%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Quasi-Monopoly

99.9%

Hemoglobinopathies Gene Therapy (CASGEVY)

Oligopoly

0.1%

Acute Pain (JOURNAVX)

Competitive

n/a

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.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.