VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

United Parcel Service, Inc. vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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

United Parcel Service, Inc.

UPS · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$91.7B
Gross margin (TTM)18.1%
Operating margin (TTM)9.3%
Net margin (TTM)6.2%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIntegrated Freight & Logistics
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
Moat score
72/ 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 United Parcel Service, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View UPS 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 72 / 100 for United Parcel Service, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: United Parcel Service, Inc. has 3 segments (66.3% in U.S. Domestic Package); 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: United Parcel Service, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

United Parcel Service, Inc.

U.S. Domestic Package

Market

U.S. small parcel and time-definite package delivery

Geography

United States

Customer

B2B and B2C shippers (including e-commerce)

Role

Integrated parcel carrier (pickup, sort, linehaul, last-mile)

Revenue share

66.3%

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

United Parcel Service, Inc.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
UPS - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$91.7B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
18.1%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
9.3%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
6.2%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Integrated Freight & Logistics
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
U.S. Domestic Package
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
34.3% (reported)
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
2,639
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
72 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-22
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Benchmark Pricing PowerService Field Network

United Parcel Service, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostData Workflow LockinBrand TrustOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs GeneralRegulated Standards PipeCapacity Moat

Segment mix

United Parcel Service, Inc. segments

Full profile >

U.S. Domestic Package

Oligopoly

66.3%

International Package

Oligopoly

19.7%

Supply Chain Solutions

Competitive

14%

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.