VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. vs Waters Corporation

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

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.

MLM · NYSE

Market cap (USD)$40.2B
Gross margin (TTM)29.9%
Operating margin (TTM)23.4%
Net margin (TTM)17.4%
SectorMaterials
IndustryConstruction Materials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
78/ 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 Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MLM 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: Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. leads (78 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Waters Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. has 3 segments (52.4% in East Group); Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.

Primary market context

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.

East Group

Market

Construction aggregates and asphalt products (crushed stone, sand & gravel; asphalt) in local/regional markets

Geography

United States (East/Southeast and adjacent regions)

Customer

Infrastructure agencies, construction contractors, and downstream materials producers (asphalt/ready-mix)

Role

Quarry/mining operator and building materials producer/distributor

Revenue share

52.4%

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

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
MLM - NYSE
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$40.2B
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
29.9%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
23.4%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
17.4%
n/a
Sector
Materials
Healthcare
Industry
Construction Materials
n/a
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
East Group
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
78 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityGeographic NaturalBenchmark Pricing PowerCapex Knowhow Scale

Waters Corporation strengths

Data Workflow LockinDesign In QualificationBrand TrustInstalled Base ConsumablesSupply Chain ControlLong Term ContractsService Field Network

Segment mix

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. segments

Full profile >

East Group

Oligopoly

52.4%

West Group

Oligopoly

40.9%

Specialties (formerly Magnesia Specialties)

Oligopoly

6.7%

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.