VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Kao Corporation vs Old Dominion Freight Line, 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)$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

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.

ODFL · The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Market cap (USD)$33.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
IndustryTrucking
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
76/ 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 Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ODFL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. leads (76 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Kao Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Kao Corporation has 5 segments (33.5% in Hygiene Living Care Business); Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. has 2 segments (99.1% in LTL Services).
  • Moat breadth: Kao Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. has 7 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%

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.

LTL Services

Market

North American less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation

Geography

North America (primarily United States)

Customer

B2B shippers

Role

Asset-based LTL carrier (terminal network + pickup & delivery + linehaul)

Revenue share

99.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Kao Corporation
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
4452 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
ODFL - The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Market cap (USD)
$2.9T
$33.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
39.2%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
9.5%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
7.3%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Household & Personal Products
Trucking
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Hygiene Living Care Business
LTL Services
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
11%-14% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
60 / 100
76 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow Scale

Kao Corporation strengths

Brand TrustTraining Org Change CostsService Field NetworkDesign In Qualification

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceReputation ReviewsSwitching Costs GeneralSuite BundlingProcurement Inertia

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%

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. segments

Full profile >

LTL Services

Oligopoly

99.1%

Other Services (Value-added logistics)

Competitive

0.9%

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.