VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Kao Corporation vs Atlas Copco AB (publ)

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

Kao Corporation

4452 · Tokyo Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$2.9T
Gross margin (TTM)39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)9.5%
Net margin (TTM)7.3%
SectorConsumer
IndustryHousehold & Personal Products
CountryJP
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
60/ 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 Kao Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 4452 analysis

Atlas Copco AB (publ)

ATCO-A · Nasdaq Stockholm

Market cap (USD)$839.9B
Gross margin (TTM)42.7%
Operating margin (TTM)21%
Net margin (TTM)16.1%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
CountrySE
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
63/ 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 Atlas Copco AB (publ)'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ATCO-A analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Atlas Copco AB (publ) leads (63 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Kao Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Kao Corporation has 5 segments (33.5% in Hygiene Living Care Business); Atlas Copco AB (publ) has 4 segments (43.8% in Compressor Technique).
  • Moat breadth: Kao Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Atlas Copco AB (publ) has 6 across 2.

Primary market context

Kao Corporation

Hygiene Living Care Business

Market

Household & fabric care and sanitary consumer packaged goods

Geography

Japan and Asia (with select global brands)

Customer

Consumers (retail)

Role

Branded manufacturer

Revenue share

33.5%

Atlas Copco AB (publ)

Compressor Technique

Market

Industrial compressors, air/gas systems (including air treatment) and related aftermarket service

Geography

Global

Customer

Industrial and process customers; distributors; service-contract customers

Role

Equipment OEM + aftermarket service provider

Revenue share

43.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Kao Corporation
Atlas Copco AB (publ)
Ticker / Exchange
4452 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
ATCO-A - Nasdaq Stockholm
Market cap (USD)
$2.9T
$839.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
39.2%
42.7%
Operating margin (TTM)
9.5%
21%
Net margin (TTM)
7.3%
16.1%
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Household & Personal Products
Industrial - Machinery
HQ country
JP
SE
Primary segment
Hygiene Living Care Business
Compressor Technique
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
60 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkDesign In Qualification

Kao Corporation strengths

Brand TrustTraining Org Change CostsCapex Knowhow Scale

Atlas Copco AB (publ) strengths

Data Workflow LockinLearning Curve YieldInstalled Base ConsumablesCapacity Moat

Segment mix

Kao Corporation segments

Full profile >

Hygiene Living Care Business

Oligopoly

33.5%

Health Beauty Care Business

Competitive

26%

Cosmetics Business

Competitive

15%

Business Connected Business

Competitive

2.4%

Chemical Business

Competitive

23.1%

Atlas Copco AB (publ) segments

Full profile >

Compressor Technique

Oligopoly

43.8%

Vacuum Technique

Oligopoly

22.9%

Industrial Technique

Oligopoly

16.7%

Power Technique

Competitive

16.7%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.