VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

The Charles Schwab Corporation vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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

The Charles Schwab Corporation

SCHW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$182.2B
Gross margin (TTM)84.4%
Operating margin (TTM)39%
Net margin (TTM)30.3%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Capital Markets
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
74/ 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 The Charles Schwab Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SCHW 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 74 / 100 for The Charles Schwab Corporation).
  • Segment focus: The Charles Schwab Corporation has 2 segments (79.4% in Investor Services); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: The Charles Schwab Corporation has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

The Charles Schwab Corporation

Investor Services

Market

U.S. retail brokerage, self-directed investing, and wealth management platforms

Geography

United States

Customer

Retail investors, employers, retirement plan sponsors

Role

Broker-dealer + bank + wealth manager platform

Revenue share

79.4%

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

The Charles Schwab Corporation
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
SCHW - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$182.2B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
84.4%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
39%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
30.3%
n/a
Sector
Financials
Healthcare
Industry
Financial - Capital Markets
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Investor Services
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Strong
Moat score
74 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Financial, Network
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-26
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field Network

The Charles Schwab Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostSuite BundlingBrand TrustFloat PrepaymentData Workflow LockinEcosystem Complements

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs GeneralBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeCapacity Moat

Segment mix

The Charles Schwab Corporation segments

Full profile >

Investor Services

Oligopoly

79.4%

Advisor Services

Oligopoly

20.6%

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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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.