VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Novartis AG vs Waters Corporation

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

Novartis AG

NOVN · SIX Swiss Exchange

Market cap (USD)$218.8B
Gross margin (TTM)76.2%
Operating margin (TTM)31.2%
Net margin (TTM)25.5%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
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

Waters Corporation

WAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
66/ 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 Waters Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WAT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Waters Corporation leads (66 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for Novartis AG).
  • Segment focus: Novartis AG has 5 segments (29.3% in Oncology); Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Novartis AG has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.

Primary market context

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%

Waters Corporation

Waters instrument systems

Market

Liquid chromatography (LC/UPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analytical instrument systems (including LC-MS workflows and instrument control/data system software)

Geography

Global

Customer

Pharma/biotech, industrial, academic and government laboratories

Role

OEM + software/platform provider

Revenue share

34.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Novartis AG
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
NOVN - SIX Swiss Exchange
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$218.8B
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
76.2%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
31.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
25.5%
n/a
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
Industry
Drug Manufacturers - General
n/a
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Oncology
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
65 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-02
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Novartis AG strengths

IP Choke PointRegulated Standards PipeCapex Knowhow Scale

Waters Corporation strengths

Data Workflow LockinDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesSupply Chain ControlLong Term ContractsService Field Network

Segment mix

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%

Waters Corporation segments

Full profile >

Waters instrument systems

Oligopoly

34.9%

Chemistry consumables

Competitive

19.1%

Waters service & software maintenance

Competitive

34%

TA instrument systems & service

Oligopoly

12%

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.