VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Kao Corporation vs Eli Lilly and Company

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

Eli Lilly and Company

LLY · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$935.6B
Gross margin (TTM)83%
Operating margin (TTM)43.9%
Net margin (TTM)31%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
66/ 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 Eli Lilly and Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LLY analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Eli Lilly and Company leads (66 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Kao Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Kao Corporation has 5 segments (33.5% in Hygiene Living Care Business); Eli Lilly and Company has 5 segments (65.5% in Cardiometabolic Health).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Kao Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Eli Lilly and Company has 5 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%

Eli Lilly and Company

Cardiometabolic Health

Market

Branded cardiometabolic pharmaceuticals (type 2 diabetes, obesity, and related metabolic/cardiovascular conditions; especially incretin therapies)

Geography

Global

Customer

Patients via prescribers; payers/PBMs; wholesaler & pharmacy channels

Role

Drug developer, manufacturer, and marketer

Revenue share

65.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Kao Corporation
Eli Lilly and Company
Ticker / Exchange
4452 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
LLY - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$2.9T
$935.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
39.2%
83%
Operating margin (TTM)
9.5%
43.9%
Net margin (TTM)
7.3%
31%
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
Industry
Household & Personal Products
Drug Manufacturers - General
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Hygiene Living Care Business
Cardiometabolic Health
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
60 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Legal, Supply
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Kao Corporation strengths

Brand TrustTraining Org Change CostsService Field NetworkCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In Qualification

Eli Lilly and Company strengths

IP Choke PointCapacity MoatLearning Curve YieldOperational ExcellenceCompliance Advantage

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%

Eli Lilly and Company segments

Full profile >

Cardiometabolic Health

Oligopoly

65.5%

Oncology

Competitive

19.4%

Immunology

Competitive

9.8%

Neuroscience

Competitive

3.3%

Other

Competitive

2%

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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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.