The wide moat strategy involves investing in companies that not only lead their industries but are also strategically fortified to maintain dominance in the future. The business models of these companies possess durable competitive advantages that shield them from competitors. This strategy isn't just about recording short-term gains, but securing a portfolio of stocks that can weather economic storms and deliver stable and predictable returns.

This investment strategy focuses on companies with unique strengths such as brand recognition, patent protection, proprietary technology and network effects. These moats ensure long-term profitability and market leadership, making the companies resilient in volatile markets.

Here we recommend five non-tech Wide Moat stocks with a favorable Zacks Rank. These stocks are: Biogen Inc. (BIIB Quick QuoteBIIB - Free Report) , Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT Quick QuoteLMT - Free Report) , Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC Quick QuoteNOC - Free Report) , Mastercard Inc. (MA Quick QuoteMA - Free Report) and Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (MTD Quick QuoteMTD - Free Report) . Each of our picks carries either a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The chart below shows the price performance of our five picks year to date.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Biogen Inc.

Biogen has successfully diversified its pipeline across areas like Alzheimer's, immunology and rare disease. BIIB’s spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) treatment, Spinraza (nusinersen) was the first treatment to be approved in the United States for SMA. Despite increasing competition, Spinraza has held a decent share in most markets.

BIIB’s Leqembi/lecanemab gained approval for early Alzheimer’s disease in the United States in 2023. Though the Leqembi launch was slow, it picked up in 2024 and 2025. Leqembi has also been launched in Japan, China, the EU and some other countries. Leqembi commands over 60% of the anti-amyloid therapy market share in the United States.

BIIB is making significant progress toward building a multi-franchise portfolio through both internal development and collaborations. BIIB is expanding its pipeline portfolio into rare diseases, immunology and neuropsychiatry.

Biogen has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of -4.7% and 3.2%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 0.01% in the last 30 days.

Lockheed Martin Corp.

Lockheed Martin’s broad product offerings allow it to secure major defense contracts, which in turn boost its backlog count. LMT remains the largest U.S. defense contractor with a steady order flow from the Pentagon and other allies of the country. 

Apart from enjoying a strong forte on the domestic front, LMT’s products are well-acclaimed in the international market. Increasing U.S. defense budget funding should boost its business. LMT continues to witness international interest in the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System (Aegis) from international customers, such as Japan, Spain, the Republic of Korea and Australia.

The production of F-35 jets is expected to continue for many years, given the government's current inventory target of 2,470 aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy by 2040 and LMT expecting the global fleet to reach more than 3,500. Consequently, one may expect LMT to witness more order inflows for F-35 in the coming days, which should significantly bolster this defense contractor’s top line.

Lockheed Martin has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 5.5% and 29.5%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 0.01% in the last 30 days.

Northrop Grumman Corp.

Northrop Grumman boasts a solid presence in Defense and Cyber Security programs, with its product line being well-positioned in high-priority categories. NOC witnesses strong demand for its products across the globe. NOC boasts a strong financial position. 

The current U.S. government’s inclination toward strengthening the nation’s defense system should benefit NOC. Foreign military sales also serve as a key growth catalyst for Northrop, with the company delivering its products and services to customers in 25 nations. NOC’s international sales totaled $5.99 billion in 2025, comprising 14% of total sales, and improving a solid 19.8% year over year.

Northrop Grumman has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 4.6% and 6.7%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 0.01% in the last 30 days.

Mastercard Inc.

Mastercard’s acquisitions are helping it to increase addressable markets and drive new revenue streams. MA’s net revenue rose16% year over year in 2025. The accelerated adoption of digital and contactless solutions is providing an opportunity for MA’s business to expedite its shift to the digital mode. Strong cash flow supports its growth initiatives.

Mastercard is aggressively adopting AI technologies to enhance security and customer experiences. MA is using AI in five different aspects of its operations — first, fraud detection and prevention, second, optimization of the payment processing services, third, customer experience personalization, fourth, deeper analysis of customer behavior using predictive AI analytics tools and finally the use of high-end AI technologies to enhance merchant services.

Mastercard has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 12.7% and 14.8%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings has improved 0.01% in the last seven days. 

Mettler-Toledo International Inc.

Mettler-Toledo is benefiting from its innovative product portfolio, strong demand for automation solutions and market share gains in product inspection. MTD’s expanded midrange product offerings have attracted new customers, while its bioprocessing-related sales remain strong, supported by unique workflow solutions. 

MTD offered positive 2026 guidance, with operating margin expected to be up 60 to 70 basis points, which is flattish to slightly up on a reported basis. Strong liquidity is expected to help MTD continue its share repurchase program. Free cash flow is expected to be approximately $900 million in 2026, representing a 5% increase on a per share basis, with the first quarter expected to be approximately $100 million.

Mettler-Toledo International has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 4.9% and 8.9%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 0.01% in the last 30 days.