VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Saturday, January 3, 2026

Stock Comparison

Monster Beverage Corporation vs Novartis AG

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

Monster Beverage Corporation

MNST · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$74.4B
Gross margin (TTM)55.8%
Operating margin (TTM)28.3%
Net margin (TTM)21.7%
SectorConsumer
IndustryBeverages - Non-Alcoholic
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
76/ 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 Monster Beverage Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MNST 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: Monster Beverage Corporation leads (76 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for Novartis AG).
  • Segment focus: Monster Beverage Corporation has 4 segments (91.6% in Monster Energy Drinks); Novartis AG has 5 segments (29.3% in Oncology).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Monster Beverage Corporation has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Novartis AG has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Monster Beverage Corporation

Monster Energy Drinks

Market

Energy drinks

Geography

Global

Customer

Retail consumers (via bottlers/distributors and retailers); some direct-to-retail

Role

Brand owner, marketer, and RTD finished-goods seller

Revenue share

91.6%

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

Monster Beverage Corporation
Novartis AG
Ticker / Exchange
MNST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
NOVN - SIX Swiss Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$74.4B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
55.8%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
28.3%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
21.7%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
Industry
Beverages - Non-Alcoholic
n/a
HQ country
US
CH
Primary segment
Monster Energy Drinks
Oncology
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
33%-35% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
76 / 100
65 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Monster Beverage Corporation strengths

Distribution ControlPreferential Input AccessContractual ExclusivitySpecialty flavor formulations (AFF)

Novartis AG strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeCapex Knowhow Scale

Segment mix

Monster Beverage Corporation segments

Full profile >

Monster Energy Drinks

Oligopoly

91.6%

Strategic Brands

Oligopoly

5.8%

Alcohol Brands

Competitive

2.3%

Other (AFF Third-Party Products)

Competitive

0.3%

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%

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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.