VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Kao Corporation vs Lifco 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

Lifco AB (publ)

LIFCO-B · Nasdaq Stockholm

Market cap (USD)$152.8B
Gross margin (TTM)43.9%
Operating margin (TTM)18.4%
Net margin (TTM)12.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryConglomerates
CountrySE
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
58/ 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 Lifco AB (publ)'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LIFCO-B analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Kao Corporation leads (60 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Lifco AB (publ)).
  • Segment focus: Kao Corporation has 5 segments (33.5% in Hygiene Living Care Business); Lifco AB (publ) has 3 segments (51.2% in Systems Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Kao Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Lifco AB (publ) has 8 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%

Lifco AB (publ)

Systems Solutions

Market

Niche B2B systems solutions (contract manufacturing, environmental technology, infrastructure products, special products, transportation products)

Geography

Primarily Europe; global customers where applicable

Customer

B2B OEMs and industrial customers

Role

Niche manufacturer and systems solution provider

Revenue share

51.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Kao Corporation
Lifco AB (publ)
Ticker / Exchange
4452 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
LIFCO-B - Nasdaq Stockholm
Market cap (USD)
$2.9T
$152.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
39.2%
43.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
9.5%
18.4%
Net margin (TTM)
7.3%
12.8%
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Household & Personal Products
Conglomerates
HQ country
JP
SE
Primary segment
Hygiene Living Care Business
Systems Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
60 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustService Field NetworkCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In Qualification

Kao Corporation strengths

Training Org Change Costs

Lifco AB (publ) strengths

Distribution ControlInstalled Base ConsumablesData Workflow LockinOperational 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%

Lifco AB (publ) segments

Full profile >

Dental

Oligopoly

24.1%

Demolition & Tools

Oligopoly

24.7%

Systems Solutions

Competitive

51.2%

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

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.