VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated vs Walmart Inc.

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

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

Walmart Inc.

WMT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$913.1B
Gross margin (TTM)24.9%
Operating margin (TTM)4.1%
Net margin (TTM)3.3%
SectorConsumer
IndustryDiscount Stores
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
77/ 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 Walmart Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WMT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 77 / 100 for Walmart Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators); Walmart Inc. has 3 segments (68.3% in Walmart U.S.).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Walmart Inc. has 6 across 4.

Primary market context

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%

Walmart Inc.

Walmart U.S.

Market

U.S. omnichannel discount retail and grocery (supercenters, neighborhood markets, eCommerce)

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers and small businesses; marketplace sellers and advertisers (for marketplace and retail media offerings)

Role

Retailer / marketplace operator / last-mile fulfillment network

Revenue share

68.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Walmart Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
WMT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$119B
$913.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
24.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
4.1%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
3.3%
Sector
Healthcare
Consumer
Industry
Biotechnology
Discount Stores
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Walmart U.S.
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Competitive
Market share
70%-78% (reported)
20%-22% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Weak
Moat score
99 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Supply, Demand, Network, Financial
Last update
2026-01-08
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

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

Walmart Inc. strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostPhysical Network DensityHabit DefaultSupply Chain ControlEcosystem ComplementsFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

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

Walmart Inc. segments

Full profile >

Walmart U.S.

Competitive

68.3%

Walmart International

Competitive

18.1%

Sam's Club U.S.

Oligopoly

13.6%

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.