VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Monday, December 29, 2025

Stock Comparison

Kao Corporation vs Thales S.A.

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

Thales S.A.

HO · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)$55.3B
SectorIndustrials
CountryFR
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
73/ 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 Thales S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Thales S.A. leads (73 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Kao Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Kao Corporation has 5 segments (33.5% in Hygiene Living Care Business); Thales S.A. has 3 segments (53.3% in Defence).
  • Moat breadth: Kao Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Thales S.A. has 8 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%

Thales S.A.

Defence

Market

Defense electronics, secure communications, and mission systems

Geography

Global

Customer

Government / defence ministries, armed forces, security forces

Role

Prime contractor and system integrator; OEM of defence electronics

Revenue share

53.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Kao Corporation
Thales S.A.
Ticker / Exchange
4452 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
HO - Euronext Paris
Market cap (USD)
$18.5B
$55.3B
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
HQ country
JP
FR
Primary segment
Hygiene Living Care Business
Defence
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
60 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-28
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustService Field NetworkCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In Qualification

Kao Corporation strengths

Training Org Change Costs

Thales S.A. strengths

Government Contracting RelationshipsLong Term ContractsRegulated Standards PipeSuite Bundling

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%

Thales S.A. segments

Full profile >

Defence

Oligopoly

53.3%

Aerospace

Oligopoly

26.6%

Cyber & Digital

Competitive

19.6%

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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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.