VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Motorola Solutions, Inc. vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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

Motorola Solutions, Inc.

MSI · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$63.8B
Gross margin (TTM)51%
Operating margin (TTM)25.4%
Net margin (TTM)18.7%
SectorTechnology
IndustryCommunication Equipment
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
68/ 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 Motorola Solutions, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MSI 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 68 / 100 for Motorola Solutions, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Motorola Solutions, Inc. has 3 segments (74.9% in LMR Communications); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Motorola Solutions, Inc. has 10 moat types across 3 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Motorola Solutions, Inc.

LMR Communications

Market

Mission-critical land mobile radio (LMR) devices, infrastructure, and managed/support services

Geography

Global

Customer

Public safety agencies and mission-critical enterprises

Role

OEM + systems integrator + service provider

Revenue share

74.9%

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

Motorola Solutions, Inc.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
MSI - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$63.8B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
51%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
25.4%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
18.7%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Healthcare
Industry
Communication Equipment
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
LMR Communications
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
68 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand, Network
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-26
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Government Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs General

Motorola Solutions, Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesDesign In QualificationLong Term ContractsEcosystem ComplementsBrand TrustData Workflow LockinInteroperability HubSuite Bundling

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

Segment mix

Motorola Solutions, Inc. segments

Full profile >

LMR Communications

Oligopoly

74.9%

Video Security & Access Control

Competitive

17.7%

Command Center Software

Competitive

7.4%

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?

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.

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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.