VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

Wide Moat Stocks Home My Collections

Stock Comparison

L3Harris Technologies, Inc. vs Merck & Co., Inc.

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

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

LHX · NYSE

Market cap (USD)$55.9B
Gross margin (TTM)—
Operating margin (TTM)—
Net margin (TTM)—
SectorIndustrials
Industry—
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
72/ 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 L3Harris Technologies, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LHX analysis

Merck & Co., Inc.

MRK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$266.4B
Gross margin (TTM)78.3%
Operating margin (TTM)36.4%
Net margin (TTM)29.6%
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: L3Harris Technologies, Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Merck & Co., Inc.).
  • Segment focus: L3Harris Technologies, Inc. has 4 segments (31.9% in Space & Airborne Systems); Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: L3Harris Technologies, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 across 3.

Primary market context

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Space & Airborne Systems

Market

Defense & intelligence space and airborne mission systems (payloads, sensors, avionics, mission networks)

Geography

Global (U.S.-centric demand)

Customer

Government defense/intelligence agencies, prime contractors, and allied governments

Role

Prime contractor / subsystem integrator

Revenue share

31.9%

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

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.
Merck & Co., Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
LHX - NYSE
MRK - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$55.9B
$266.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
78.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
36.4%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
29.6%
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
n/a
Drug Manufacturers - General
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Space & Airborne Systems
Pharmaceutical
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
72 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand, Supply
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow Scale

L3Harris Technologies, Inc. strengths

Government Contracting RelationshipsDesign In QualificationCompliance AdvantageSwitching Costs GeneralProcurement InertiaCapacity MoatKeystone Component

Merck & Co., Inc. strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeScope EconomiesData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

L3Harris Technologies, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Space & Airborne Systems

Oligopoly

31.9%

Integrated Mission Systems

Oligopoly

31.8%

Communication Systems

Oligopoly

25.4%

Aerojet Rocketdyne

Duopoly

10.9%

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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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.