VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Kao Corporation vs The Home Depot, 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)$18.5B
SectorConsumer
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

The Home Depot, Inc.

HD · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$345.9B
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
69/ 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 The Home Depot, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HD analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Home Depot, Inc. leads (69 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Kao Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Kao Corporation has 5 segments (33.5% in Hygiene Living Care Business); The Home Depot, Inc. has 2 segments (96% in Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Kao Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; The Home Depot, Inc. has 4 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%

The Home Depot, Inc.

Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)

Market

Home improvement retail (omnichannel)

Geography

North America (US, Canada, Mexico)

Customer

DIY homeowners and professional contractors

Role

Retailer

Revenue share

96%

Side-by-side metrics

Kao Corporation
The Home Depot, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
4452 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
HD - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$18.5B
$345.9B
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Hygiene Living Care Business
Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
60 / 100
69 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-28
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Kao Corporation strengths

Brand TrustTraining Org Change CostsService Field NetworkCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In Qualification

The Home Depot, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityDistribution ControlProcurement InertiaScale Economies Unit Cost

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%

The Home Depot, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)

Competitive

96%

Other - Specialty trade distribution (SRS: roofing, landscape, pool)

Competitive

4%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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

View the moat stocks list

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.