VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Rockwell Automation, Inc. vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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

Rockwell Automation, Inc.

ROK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$46.1B
Gross margin (TTM)48%
Operating margin (TTM)18.4%
Net margin (TTM)10.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
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 Rockwell Automation, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ROK 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 65 / 100 for Rockwell Automation, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Rockwell Automation, Inc. has 3 segments (45% in Intelligent Devices); 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: Rockwell Automation, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Rockwell Automation, Inc.

Intelligent Devices

Market

Industrial automation hardware (drives, motion, safety/sensing, industrial components, micro PLCs & distributed I/O)

Geography

Global

Customer

Industrial OEMs/machine builders and end-user manufacturers (often via distributors)

Role

Automation equipment supplier (hardware OEM)

Revenue share

45%

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

Rockwell Automation, Inc.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
ROK - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$46.1B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
48%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
18.4%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
10.4%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Industrial - Machinery
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Intelligent Devices
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
65 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Network, Supply
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs GeneralService Field Network

Rockwell Automation, Inc. strengths

Brand TrustEcosystem ComplementsSuite BundlingTraining Org Change CostsData Workflow LockinProcurement Inertia

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeCapacity Moat

Segment mix

Rockwell Automation, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Intelligent Devices

Oligopoly

45%

Software & Control

Oligopoly

28.6%

Lifecycle Services

Competitive

26.4%

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?

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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.