VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Stock Comparison
Merck & Co., Inc. vs Union Pacific Corporation
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Merck & Co., Inc.
MRK · New York Stock Exchange
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 analysisUnion Pacific Corporation
UNP · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Union Pacific Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View UNP analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Union Pacific Corporation leads (72 / 100 vs 71 / 100 for Merck & Co., Inc.).
- Segment focus: Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical); Union Pacific Corporation has 4 segments (34.8% in Industrial).
- Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Union Pacific Corporation has 5 across 2.
Primary market context
Merck & Co., Inc.
Pharmaceutical
Branded prescription pharmaceuticals & human vaccines
Global
Wholesalers/retailers, managed care and government payers, hospitals/clinics
R&D-intensive innovator, manufacturer, and marketer
89.5%
Union Pacific Corporation
Industrial
Rail freight transportation for industrial commodities (chemicals and plastics, metals and minerals, forest products, energy and specialized markets)
U.S. western two-thirds with interchange to other railroads; cross-border corridors to Mexico and Canada
Chemical producers, refiners, plastics manufacturers, construction and material suppliers, metals and mining, industrial shippers
Class I rail carrier / linehaul freight transport
34.8%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Merck & Co., Inc. strengths
Union Pacific Corporation strengths
Segment mix
Merck & Co., Inc. segments
Full profile >Pharmaceutical
Competitive
Animal Health
Oligopoly
Union Pacific Corporation segments
Full profile >Bulk
Oligopoly
Industrial
Oligopoly
Premium
Oligopoly
Other subsidiary, accessorial and other revenues
Competitive
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 listCuration & 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.