VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated vs Zimmer Biomet 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

Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.

ZBH · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$18.4B
Gross margin (TTM)71.4%
Operating margin (TTM)16.6%
Net margin (TTM)10.1%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Devices
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-23
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 Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ZBH analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators); Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. has 4 segments (41.3% in Knees).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. has 7 across 5.

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%

Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.

Knees

Market

Knee reconstruction implants (primary, partial, revision) plus associated instruments and orthopedic robotics/navigation

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers

Role

OEM manufacturer

Revenue share

41.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
ZBH - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$119B
$18.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
71.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
16.6%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
10.1%
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
Industry
Biotechnology
Medical - Devices
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Knees
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
70%-78% (reported)
30.1% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
2,265
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
99 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Demand, Supply, Legal, Financial, Network
Last update
2026-01-08
2025-12-23

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Benchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeService Field Network

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs GeneralCapacity Moat

Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationScope EconomiesEcosystem ComplementsData Workflow Lockin

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

Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Knees

Oligopoly

41.3%

Hips

Oligopoly

26%

S.E.T. (Sports Medicine, Extremities, Trauma, CMFT)

Competitive

24.3%

Technology & Data, Bone Cement and Surgical

Oligopoly

8.3%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.