VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Stock Comparison
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
UNH · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into UnitedHealth Group Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View UNH analysisVertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
VRTX · NASDAQ
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 analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 64 / 100 for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated).
- Segment focus: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has 4 segments (74.9% in UnitedHealthcare); 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: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.
Primary market context
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
UnitedHealthcare
U.S. health benefits / managed care (commercial, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care)
United States (primarily)
Employers, individuals, and government-sponsored programs
Health insurer / managed care organization
74.9%
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
CFTR modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis
U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada
Patients (via specialty pharmacies/payers); CF care centers
Drug developer/manufacturer
99.9%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
No overlap yet.
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated strengths
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths
Segment mix
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated segments
Full profile >UnitedHealthcare
Oligopoly
Optum Health
Competitive
Optum Insight
Competitive
Optum Rx
Oligopoly
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated segments
Full profile >Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Quasi-Monopoly
Hemoglobinopathies Gene Therapy (CASGEVY)
Oligopoly
Acute Pain (JOURNAVX)
Competitive
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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.
View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.