VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Microsoft Corporation vs Novartis AG

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

Microsoft Corporation

MSFT · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$3.5T
Gross margin (TTM)68.8%
Operating margin (TTM)46.3%
Net margin (TTM)35.7%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySoftware - Infrastructure
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
84/ 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 Microsoft Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MSFT analysis

Novartis AG

NOVN · SIX Swiss Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryCH
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
65/ 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 Novartis AG's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NOVN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Microsoft Corporation leads (84 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for Novartis AG).
  • Segment focus: Microsoft Corporation has 3 segments (42.9% in Productivity and Business Processes); Novartis AG has 5 segments (29.3% in Oncology).
  • Moat breadth: Microsoft Corporation has 9 moat types across 4 domains; Novartis AG has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Microsoft Corporation

Productivity and Business Processes

Market

Enterprise productivity & collaboration suites, business applications, and professional network platforms

Geography

Global

Customer

Enterprises, SMBs, consumers, recruiters/advertisers

Role

SaaS platform + professional network

Revenue share

42.9%

Novartis AG

Oncology

Market

Oncology and hematology branded medicines (including targeted therapies and radioligand therapy)

Geography

Global

Customer

Oncologists and hospitals; reimbursed by payers; hospital and specialty pharmacy channels

Role

Originator developer, manufacturer, and marketer of oncology therapies

Revenue share

29.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Microsoft Corporation
Novartis AG
Ticker / Exchange
MSFT - Nasdaq Global Select Market
NOVN - SIX Swiss Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$3.5T
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
68.8%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
46.3%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
35.7%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Healthcare
Industry
Software - Infrastructure
n/a
HQ country
US
CH
Primary segment
Productivity and Business Processes
Oncology
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
84 / 100
65 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Network, Supply, Legal
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow Scale

Microsoft Corporation strengths

Suite BundlingData Workflow LockinLong Term ContractsTwo Sided NetworkEcosystem ComplementsOperational ExcellenceDefault OS GatewayContent Rights Currency

Novartis AG strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeBrand Trust

Segment mix

Microsoft Corporation segments

Full profile >

Productivity and Business Processes

Oligopoly

42.9%

Intelligent Cloud

Oligopoly

37.7%

More Personal Computing

Quasi-Monopoly

19.4%

Novartis AG segments

Full profile >

Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic

Oligopoly

17%

Immunology

Oligopoly

18.5%

Neuroscience

Oligopoly

9.4%

Oncology

Oligopoly

29.3%

Established Brands

Competitive

25.8%

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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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.