VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Stock Comparison

Merck & Co., Inc. vs Roche Holding AG

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)$305.4B
Gross margin (TTM)81.5%
Operating margin (TTM)41.2%
Net margin (TTM)28.1%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
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

Roche Holding AG

ROG · SIX Swiss Exchange

Market cap (USD)$292.8B
Gross margin (TTM)73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)30.8%
Net margin (TTM)17.1%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
CountryCH
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
68/ 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 Roche Holding AG's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ROG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Merck & Co., Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 68 / 100 for Roche Holding AG).
  • Segment focus: Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical); Roche Holding AG has 2 segments (76.3% in Pharmaceuticals).
  • Moat breadth: Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Roche Holding AG has 5 across 3.

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%

Roche Holding AG

Pharmaceuticals

Market

Innovative (branded) prescription pharmaceuticals

Geography

Global

Customer

Healthcare providers and systems (hospitals/clinics), payers/governments, and patients

Role

Innovator pharmaceutical developer, manufacturer and marketer

Revenue share

76.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Merck & Co., Inc.
Roche Holding AG
Ticker / Exchange
MRK - New York Stock Exchange
ROG - SIX Swiss Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$305.4B
$292.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
81.5%
73.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
41.2%
30.8%
Net margin (TTM)
28.1%
17.1%
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
Industry
Drug Manufacturers - General
Drug Manufacturers - General
HQ country
US
CH
Primary segment
Pharmaceutical
Pharmaceuticals
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
68 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-22
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeCapex Knowhow ScaleData Workflow Lockin

Merck & Co., Inc. strengths

Scope Economies

Roche Holding AG strengths

Installed Base Consumables

Segment mix

Merck & Co., Inc. segments

Full profile >

Pharmaceutical

Competitive

89.5%

Animal Health

Oligopoly

9.2%

Roche Holding AG segments

Full profile >

Pharmaceuticals

Competitive

76.3%

Diagnostics

Oligopoly

23.7%

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.