VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Merck & Co., Inc. vs The Procter & Gamble Company

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

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

The Procter & Gamble Company

PG · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$338.4B
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
79/ 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 The Procter & Gamble Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View PG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Procter & Gamble Company leads (79 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Merck & Co., Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical); The Procter & Gamble Company has 5 segments (35.1% in Fabric & Home Care).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; The Procter & Gamble Company has 4 across 2.

Primary market context

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%

The Procter & Gamble Company

Fabric & Home Care

Market

Branded fabric care and home care (laundry detergents/additives, dish care, surface/home cleaning, air care)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers via retail and e-commerce channels

Role

Brand owner / manufacturer

Revenue share

35.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Merck & Co., Inc.
The Procter & Gamble Company
Ticker / Exchange
MRK - New York Stock Exchange
PG - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$250.9B
$338.4B
Sector
Healthcare
Consumer
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Pharmaceutical
Fabric & Home Care
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
35% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-22
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Merck & Co., Inc. strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeCapex Knowhow ScaleScope EconomiesData Workflow Lockin

The Procter & Gamble Company strengths

Brand TrustDistribution ControlScale Economies Unit CostInstalled Base Consumables

Segment mix

Merck & Co., Inc. segments

Full profile >

Pharmaceutical

Competitive

89.5%

Animal Health

Oligopoly

9.2%

The Procter & Gamble Company segments

Full profile >

Beauty

Oligopoly

17.8%

Grooming

Quasi-Monopoly

7.9%

Health Care

Oligopoly

14.2%

Fabric & Home Care

Oligopoly

35.1%

Baby, Feminine & Family Care

Oligopoly

24%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

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.