VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

MSCI Inc. vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

MSCI Inc.

MSCI · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$45B
Gross margin (TTM)82.4%
Operating margin (TTM)54.2%
Net margin (TTM)40%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Data & Stock Exchanges
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
76/ 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 MSCI Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MSCI analysis

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

VRTX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
IndustryBiotechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-08
Moat score
99/ 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 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VRTX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 76 / 100 for MSCI Inc.).
  • Segment focus: MSCI Inc. has 4 segments (55.9% in Index); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: MSCI Inc. has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

MSCI Inc.

Index

Market

Investment indexes and index licensing

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional investors and asset managers

Role

Index provider / benchmark administrator

Revenue share

55.9%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Market

CFTR modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis

Geography

U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada

Customer

Patients (via specialty pharmacies/payers); CF care centers

Role

Drug developer/manufacturer

Revenue share

99.9%

Side-by-side metrics

MSCI Inc.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
MSCI - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$45B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
82.4%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
54.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
40%
n/a
Sector
Financials
Healthcare
Industry
Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Index
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
23%-27% (implied)
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
76 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Legal
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

MSCI Inc. strengths

De Facto StandardCompliance AdvantageData Workflow Lockin

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

Segment mix

MSCI Inc. segments

Full profile >

Index

Oligopoly

55.9%

Analytics

Oligopoly

23.6%

Sustainability and Climate

Competitive

11.4%

Private Assets

Competitive

9%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Quasi-Monopoly

99.9%

Hemoglobinopathies Gene Therapy (CASGEVY)

Oligopoly

0.1%

Acute Pain (JOURNAVX)

Competitive

n/a

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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

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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.