VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Lifco AB (publ) vs Waters Corporation

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

Lifco AB (publ)

LIFCO-B · Nasdaq Stockholm

Market cap (USD)$158.2B
Gross margin (TTM)43.9%
Operating margin (TTM)18.4%
Net margin (TTM)12.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryConglomerates
CountrySE
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
58/ 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 Lifco AB (publ)'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LIFCO-B 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: Waters Corporation leads (66 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Lifco AB (publ)).
  • Segment focus: Lifco AB (publ) has 3 segments (51.2% in Systems Solutions); Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Lifco AB (publ) has 8 moat types across 2 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.

Primary market context

Lifco AB (publ)

Systems Solutions

Market

Niche B2B systems solutions (contract manufacturing, environmental technology, infrastructure products, special products, transportation products)

Geography

Primarily Europe; global customers where applicable

Customer

B2B OEMs and industrial customers

Role

Niche manufacturer and systems solution provider

Revenue share

51.2%

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

Lifco AB (publ)
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
LIFCO-B - Nasdaq Stockholm
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$158.2B
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
43.9%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
18.4%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
12.8%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Conglomerates
n/a
HQ country
SE
US
Primary segment
Systems Solutions
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
58 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-06
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesData Workflow LockinBrand TrustDesign In Qualification

Lifco AB (publ) strengths

Distribution ControlCapex Knowhow ScaleOperational Excellence

Waters Corporation strengths

Supply Chain ControlLong Term Contracts

Segment mix

Lifco AB (publ) segments

Full profile >

Dental

Oligopoly

24.1%

Demolition & Tools

Oligopoly

24.7%

Systems Solutions

Competitive

51.2%

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?

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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.