VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Merck & Co., Inc. vs Trimble Inc.

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)$277.7B
Gross margin (TTM)78.3%
Operating margin (TTM)36.4%
Net margin (TTM)29.6%
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

Trimble Inc.

TRMB · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorTechnology
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
67/ 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 Trimble Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View TRMB analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Merck & Co., Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 67 / 100 for Trimble Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical); Trimble Inc. has 3 segments (41.7% in Field Systems).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Trimble Inc. has 7 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%

Trimble Inc.

Field Systems

Market

High-precision positioning & field solutions (geospatial, construction machine control, positioning/correction services)

Geography

Global

Customer

Surveyors, mapping professionals, civil construction contractors, governments, utilities

Role

Field hardware + software + subscription positioning services

Revenue share

41.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Merck & Co., Inc.
Trimble Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
MRK - New York Stock Exchange
TRMB - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$277.7B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
78.3%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
36.4%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
29.6%
n/a
Sector
Healthcare
Technology
Industry
Drug Manufacturers - General
n/a
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Pharmaceutical
Field Systems
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
67 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Network, Supply
Last update
2025-12-22
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

Merck & Co., Inc. strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeCapex Knowhow ScaleScope Economies

Trimble Inc. strengths

Ecosystem ComplementsInstalled Base ConsumablesDesign In QualificationDistribution ControlTwo Sided NetworkData Network Effects

Segment mix

Merck & Co., Inc. segments

Full profile >

Pharmaceutical

Competitive

89.5%

Animal Health

Oligopoly

9.2%

Trimble Inc. segments

Full profile >

Architects, Engineers, Construction and Owners

Competitive

36.9%

Field Systems

Oligopoly

41.7%

Transportation and Logistics

Competitive

21.4%

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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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.