VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Monday, December 29, 2025

Stock Comparison

Merck & Co., Inc. vs Symrise 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)$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

Symrise AG

SY1 · Xetra

Market cap (USD)$14.5B
SectorMaterials
CountryDE
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
69/ 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 Symrise AG's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SY1 analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Merck & Co., Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 69 / 100 for Symrise AG).
  • Segment focus: Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical); Symrise AG has 2 segments (61.8% in Taste, Nutrition & Health).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Symrise 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%

Symrise AG

Taste, Nutrition & Health

Market

Food & beverage flavor ingredients and pet food ingredients

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B (food & beverage, pet food, aquafeed manufacturers)

Role

Ingredient/formulation supplier

Revenue share

61.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Merck & Co., Inc.
Symrise AG
Ticker / Exchange
MRK - New York Stock Exchange
SY1 - Xetra
Market cap (USD)
$250.9B
$14.5B
Sector
Healthcare
Materials
HQ country
US
DE
Primary segment
Pharmaceutical
Taste, Nutrition & Health
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
12%-16% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
958
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
69 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-22
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

IP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleScope Economies

Merck & Co., Inc. strengths

Regulated Standards PipeData Workflow Lockin

Symrise AG strengths

Design In QualificationPreferential Input Access

Segment mix

Merck & Co., Inc. segments

Full profile >

Pharmaceutical

Competitive

89.5%

Animal Health

Oligopoly

9.2%

Symrise AG segments

Full profile >

Taste, Nutrition & Health

Oligopoly

61.8%

Scent & Care

Oligopoly

38.2%

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.