VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Monday, December 29, 2025

Stock Comparison

MercadoLibre, Inc. vs Merck & Co., Inc.

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

MercadoLibre, Inc.

MELI · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
SectorTechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
73/ 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 MercadoLibre, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MELI analysis

Merck & Co., Inc.

MRK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$250.9B
SectorHealthcare
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: MercadoLibre, Inc. leads (73 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Merck & Co., Inc.).
  • Segment focus: MercadoLibre, Inc. has 2 segments (58.5% in Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)); Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: MercadoLibre, Inc. has 6 moat types across 4 domains; Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 across 3.

Primary market context

MercadoLibre, Inc.

Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)

Market

Latin American e-commerce marketplace and commerce services (online marketplace, 1P retail, fulfillment/logistics, advertising)

Geography

Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and other countries)

Customer

Consumers (buyers) and merchants/brands (sellers), including MSMEs

Role

Marketplace operator + retailer + logistics orchestrator

Revenue share

58.5%

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

MercadoLibre, Inc.
Merck & Co., Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
MELI - NASDAQ
MRK - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$250.9B
Sector
Technology
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)
Pharmaceutical
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
73 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Supply, Demand, Legal
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-29
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

MercadoLibre, Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkEcosystem ComplementsDistribution ControlSwitching Costs GeneralCompliance Advantage

Merck & Co., Inc. strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeCapex Knowhow ScaleScope Economies

Segment mix

MercadoLibre, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)

Oligopoly

58.5%

Fintech (Mercado Pago & credit)

Competitive

41.5%

Merck & Co., Inc. segments

Full profile >

Pharmaceutical

Competitive

89.5%

Animal Health

Oligopoly

9.2%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.