VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated vs Yum China Holdings, 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

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

YUMC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$17.1B
Gross margin (TTM)17.2%
Operating margin (TTM)11.2%
Net margin (TTM)7.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustryRestaurants
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
75/ 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 Yum China Holdings, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View YUMC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 75 / 100 for Yum China Holdings, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators); Yum China Holdings, Inc. has 3 segments (75.3% in KFC).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Yum China Holdings, Inc. has 7 across 3.

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%

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

KFC

Market

Quick-service restaurants (QSR), chicken-focused, in China

Geography

China

Customer

Consumers (end-users) via dine-in, takeaway and delivery

Role

Brand owner/operator (company-owned + franchised restaurants)

Revenue share

75.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Yum China Holdings, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
YUMC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$119B
$17.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
17.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
11.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
7.8%
Sector
Healthcare
Consumer
Industry
Biotechnology
Restaurants
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
KFC
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
70%-78% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
99 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-08
2025-12-28

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

Yum China Holdings, Inc. strengths

Contractual ExclusivityBrand TrustPhysical Network DensitySupply Chain ControlHabit DefaultOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

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

Yum China Holdings, Inc. segments

Full profile >

KFC

Oligopoly

75.3%

Pizza Hut

Competitive

20%

All Other Segments (Emerging brands, delivery & e-commerce)

Competitive

1.6%

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.