VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Kao Corporation vs Duolingo, Inc.

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

Duolingo, Inc.

DUOL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$8.6B
Gross margin (TTM)72%
Operating margin (TTM)11%
Net margin (TTM)40%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySoftware - Application
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
68/ 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 Duolingo, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View DUOL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Duolingo, Inc. leads (68 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Kao Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Kao Corporation has 5 segments (33.5% in Hygiene Living Care Business); Duolingo, Inc. has 2 segments (93.9% in Duolingo App).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Kao Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Duolingo, Inc. has 6 across 3.

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%

Duolingo, Inc.

Duolingo App

Market

Mobile-first, freemium language learning and adjacent subjects (math, music)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers (end-users); advertisers

Role

Digital learning platform / content & software publisher

Revenue share

93.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Kao Corporation
Duolingo, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
4452 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
DUOL - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$2.9T
$8.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
39.2%
72%
Operating margin (TTM)
9.5%
11%
Net margin (TTM)
7.3%
40%
Sector
Consumer
Technology
Industry
Household & Personal Products
Software - Application
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Hygiene Living Care Business
Duolingo App
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
60 / 100
68 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Network, Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustDesign In Qualification

Kao Corporation strengths

Training Org Change CostsService Field NetworkCapex Knowhow Scale

Duolingo, Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsHabit DefaultScope EconomiesOperational Excellence

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%

Duolingo, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Duolingo App

Competitive

93.9%

Duolingo English Test

Oligopoly

6.1%

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.

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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.