VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Merck & Co., Inc. vs Tesla, 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)$270B
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

Tesla, Inc.

TSLA · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$1.5T
Gross margin (TTM)17%
Operating margin (TTM)4.7%
Net margin (TTM)5.5%
SectorConsumer
IndustryAuto - Manufacturers
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
75/ 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 Tesla, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View TSLA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Tesla, Inc. leads (75 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Merck & Co., Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical); Tesla, Inc. has 3 segments (78.9% in Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)).
  • Moat breadth: Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Tesla, Inc. has 9 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%

Tesla, Inc.

Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)

Market

Battery-electric passenger vehicles (BEV) and connected vehicle software

Geography

United States (market share datapoint); global competition

Customer

Consumers and small fleets

Role

OEM (design, manufacture, direct-to-consumer sales)

Revenue share

78.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Merck & Co., Inc.
Tesla, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
MRK - New York Stock Exchange
TSLA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$270B
$1.5T
Gross margin (TTM)
78.3%
17%
Operating margin (TTM)
36.4%
4.7%
Net margin (TTM)
29.6%
5.5%
Sector
Healthcare
Consumer
Industry
Drug Manufacturers - General
Auto - Manufacturers
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Pharmaceutical
Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
56.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Network, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-22
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow ScaleScope EconomiesData Workflow Lockin

Merck & Co., Inc. strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards Pipe

Tesla, Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsBrand TrustPhysical Network DensityService Field NetworkSwitching Costs GeneralScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Merck & Co., Inc. segments

Full profile >

Pharmaceutical

Competitive

89.5%

Animal Health

Oligopoly

9.2%

Tesla, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)

Competitive

78.9%

Services and Other (Supercharging + after-sales + used vehicles + insurance)

Quasi-Monopoly

10.8%

Energy Generation and Storage (Megapack + Powerwall + solar)

Oligopoly

10.3%

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

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.