VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Vulcan Materials Company vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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

Vulcan Materials Company

VMC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$41.2B
Gross margin (TTM)28.2%
Operating margin (TTM)20.9%
Net margin (TTM)14.3%
SectorMaterials
IndustryConstruction Materials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
73/ 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 Vulcan Materials Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VMC 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 73 / 100 for Vulcan Materials Company).
  • Segment focus: Vulcan Materials Company has 3 segments (74.4% in Aggregates); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Vulcan Materials Company has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Vulcan Materials Company

Aggregates

Market

Construction aggregates (crushed stone, sand & gravel)

Geography

United States (local/regional markets)

Customer

Construction contractors and public infrastructure agencies

Role

Upstream raw materials producer

Revenue share

74.4%

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

Vulcan Materials Company
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
VMC - New York Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$41.2B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
28.2%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
20.9%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
14.3%
n/a
Sector
Materials
Healthcare
Industry
Construction Materials
Biotechnology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Aggregates
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
8%-11% (implied)
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
73 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Vulcan Materials Company strengths

Permits Rights Of WayGeographic NaturalPhysical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostSupply Chain Control

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs GeneralBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

Segment mix

Vulcan Materials Company segments

Full profile >

Aggregates

Oligopoly

74.4%

Asphalt

Competitive

16.8%

Concrete

Competitive

8.8%

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.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.