VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

The Coca-Cola Company vs Waters Corporation

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

The Coca-Cola Company

KO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$303.5B
Gross margin (TTM)61.6%
Operating margin (TTM)30.7%
Net margin (TTM)27.3%
SectorConsumer
IndustryBeverages - Non-Alcoholic
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
79/ 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 The Coca-Cola Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View KO analysis

Waters Corporation

WAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
66/ 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 Waters Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WAT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Coca-Cola Company leads (79 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Waters Corporation).
  • Segment focus: The Coca-Cola Company has 6 segments (39.6% in North America); Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • Moat breadth: The Coca-Cola Company has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.

Primary market context

The Coca-Cola Company

North America

Market

Nonalcoholic ready-to-drink beverages

Geography

North America (primarily United States and Canada)

Customer

Retailers, foodservice, and consumers

Role

Brand owner and concentrate/syrup producer; system marketing leadership

Revenue share

39.6%

Waters Corporation

Waters instrument systems

Market

Liquid chromatography (LC/UPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analytical instrument systems (including LC-MS workflows and instrument control/data system software)

Geography

Global

Customer

Pharma/biotech, industrial, academic and government laboratories

Role

OEM + software/platform provider

Revenue share

34.9%

Side-by-side metrics

The Coca-Cola Company
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
KO - New York Stock Exchange
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$303.5B
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
61.6%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
30.7%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
27.3%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
Industry
Beverages - Non-Alcoholic
n/a
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
North America
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
79 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustLong Term ContractsService Field Network

The Coca-Cola Company strengths

Distribution ControlScope EconomiesIP Choke PointOperational Excellence

Waters Corporation strengths

Data Workflow LockinDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesSupply Chain Control

Segment mix

The Coca-Cola Company segments

Full profile >

Europe, Middle East & Africa

Oligopoly

15.8%

Latin America

Oligopoly

13.7%

North America

Oligopoly

39.6%

Asia Pacific

Oligopoly

10.8%

Global Ventures

Competitive

6.6%

Bottling Investments

Competitive

13.2%

Waters Corporation segments

Full profile >

Waters instrument systems

Oligopoly

34.9%

Chemistry consumables

Competitive

19.1%

Waters service & software maintenance

Competitive

34%

TA instrument systems & service

Oligopoly

12%

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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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.