VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Stock Comparison
Kao Corporation vs Ulta Beauty, 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 analysisUlta Beauty, Inc.
ULTA · NASDAQ
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Ulta Beauty, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View ULTA analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Kao Corporation leads (60 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
- Segment focus: Kao Corporation has 5 segments (33.5% in Hygiene Living Care Business); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Kao Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.
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%
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Beauty Products Retail
U.S. beauty products retail (specialty omnichannel beauty retailer)
United States
Consumers (end-users) shopping in-store and online
Specialty retailer / distributor
94%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
No overlap yet.
Kao Corporation strengths
Ulta Beauty, 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
Ulta Beauty, Inc. segments
Full profile >Beauty Products Retail
Competitive
Beauty Services
Competitive
Platform Monetization (Retail Media, Credit Cards, Partner Royalties, Deferred Revenue)
Competitive
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View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.