VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Monday, December 29, 2025
Stock Comparison
Kao Corporation vs Merck & Co., Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Kao Corporation
4452 · Tokyo Stock Exchange
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 analysisMerck & Co., Inc.
MRK · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Merck & Co., Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View MRK analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Merck & Co., Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Kao Corporation).
- Segment focus: Kao Corporation has 5 segments (33.5% in Hygiene Living Care Business); Merck & Co., Inc. has 2 segments (89.5% in Pharmaceutical).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Kao Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Merck & Co., Inc. has 5 across 3.
Primary market context
Kao Corporation
Hygiene Living Care Business
Household & fabric care and sanitary consumer packaged goods
Japan and Asia (with select global brands)
Consumers (retail)
Branded manufacturer
33.5%
Merck & Co., Inc.
Pharmaceutical
Branded prescription pharmaceuticals & human vaccines
Global
Wholesalers/retailers, managed care and government payers, hospitals/clinics
R&D-intensive innovator, manufacturer, and marketer
89.5%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Kao Corporation strengths
Merck & Co., Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Kao Corporation segments
Full profile >Hygiene Living Care Business
Oligopoly
Health Beauty Care Business
Competitive
Cosmetics Business
Competitive
Business Connected Business
Competitive
Chemical Business
Competitive
Merck & Co., Inc. segments
Full profile >Pharmaceutical
Competitive
Animal Health
Oligopoly
Want the full wide moat stocks list?
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View the moat stocks listCuration & 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.