VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

RTX Corporation vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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

RTX Corporation

RTX · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$252.4B
Gross margin (TTM)20.1%
Operating margin (TTM)9.8%
Net margin (TTM)7.7%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAerospace & Defense
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
69/ 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 RTX Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View RTX 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 69 / 100 for RTX Corporation).
  • Segment focus: RTX Corporation has 3 segments (34.8% in Pratt & Whitney); 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: RTX Corporation has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

RTX Corporation

Pratt & Whitney

Market

Aircraft engines & aftermarket services (commercial and military)

Geography

Global

Customer

Airframers, airlines, governments

Role

Engine OEM + MRO

Revenue share

34.8%

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

RTX Corporation
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
RTX - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$252.4B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
20.1%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
9.8%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
7.7%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Aerospace & Defense
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Pratt & Whitney
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
69 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2026-01-02
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Regulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkGovernment Contracting Relationships

RTX Corporation strengths

Design In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesCapex Knowhow ScaleLong Term ContractsCompliance Advantage

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointSwitching Costs GeneralBenchmark Pricing PowerCapacity Moat

Segment mix

RTX Corporation segments

Full profile >

Collins Aerospace

Oligopoly

32.1%

Pratt & Whitney

Oligopoly

34.8%

Raytheon

Oligopoly

32.9%

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?

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.