VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

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Stock Comparison

MercadoLibre, Inc. vs Novartis AG

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

MercadoLibre, Inc.

MELI · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$100.7B
Gross margin (TTM)45.1%
Operating margin (TTM)12%
Net margin (TTM)7.9%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySpecialty Retail
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

Novartis AG

NOVN · SIX Swiss Exchange

Market cap (USD)—
Gross margin (TTM)—
Operating margin (TTM)—
Net margin (TTM)—
SectorHealthcare
Industry—
CountryCH
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
65/ 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 Novartis AG's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NOVN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: MercadoLibre, Inc. leads (73 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for Novartis AG).
  • Segment focus: MercadoLibre, Inc. has 2 segments (58.5% in Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)); Novartis AG has 5 segments (29.3% in Oncology).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: MercadoLibre, Inc. has 6 moat types across 4 domains; Novartis AG has 4 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%

Novartis AG

Oncology

Market

Oncology and hematology branded medicines (including targeted therapies and radioligand therapy)

Geography

Global

Customer

Oncologists and hospitals; reimbursed by payers; hospital and specialty pharmacy channels

Role

Originator developer, manufacturer, and marketer of oncology therapies

Revenue share

29.3%

Side-by-side metrics

MercadoLibre, Inc.
Novartis AG
Ticker / Exchange
MELI - NASDAQ
NOVN - SIX Swiss Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$100.7B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
45.1%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
12%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
7.9%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Healthcare
Industry
Specialty Retail
n/a
HQ country
US
CH
Primary segment
Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)
Oncology
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
73 / 100
65 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Supply, Demand, Legal
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

MercadoLibre, Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkEcosystem ComplementsDistribution ControlSwitching Costs GeneralData Workflow LockinCompliance Advantage

Novartis AG strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeCapex Knowhow ScaleBrand Trust

Segment mix

MercadoLibre, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)

Oligopoly

58.5%

Fintech (Mercado Pago & credit)

Competitive

41.5%

Novartis AG segments

Full profile >

Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic

Oligopoly

17%

Immunology

Oligopoly

18.5%

Neuroscience

Oligopoly

9.4%

Oncology

Oligopoly

29.3%

Established Brands

Competitive

25.8%

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.