VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Stock Comparison
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated vs Waste Management, Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Vertex 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 analysisWaste Management, Inc.
WM · 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 Waste Management, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View WM analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 79 / 100 for Waste Management, Inc.).
- Segment focus: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators); Waste Management, Inc. has 4 segments (82.2% in Collection and Disposal).
- Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Strong.
- Moat breadth: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Waste Management, Inc. has 7 across 3.
Primary market context
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%
Waste Management, Inc.
Collection and Disposal
Municipal, commercial, and industrial solid waste collection, transfer, and landfill disposal
North America (primarily US and Canada)
Municipalities and end-customers (residential, commercial, industrial) via direct and contract channels
Integrated hauler + transfer + landfill owner/operator
82.2%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths
Waste Management, Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated segments
Full profile >Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Quasi-Monopoly
Hemoglobinopathies Gene Therapy (CASGEVY)
Oligopoly
Acute Pain (JOURNAVX)
Competitive
Waste Management, Inc. segments
Full profile >Collection and Disposal
Oligopoly
Recycling Processing and Sales
Competitive
WM Renewable Energy
Competitive
WM Healthcare Solutions
Oligopoly
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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.