VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Kao Corporation vs Waste Management, 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)$18.5B
SectorConsumer
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

Waste Management, Inc.

WM · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
79/ 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 Waste Management, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WM analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Waste Management, Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Kao Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Kao Corporation has 5 segments (33.5% in Hygiene Living Care Business); Waste Management, Inc. has 4 segments (82.2% in Collection and Disposal).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Kao Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Waste Management, Inc. has 7 across 3.

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%

Waste Management, Inc.

Collection and Disposal

Market

Municipal, commercial, and industrial solid waste collection, transfer, and landfill disposal

Geography

North America (primarily US and Canada)

Customer

Municipalities and end-customers (residential, commercial, industrial) via direct and contract channels

Role

Integrated hauler + transfer + landfill owner/operator

Revenue share

82.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Kao Corporation
Waste Management, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
4452 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
WM - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$18.5B
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Hygiene Living Care Business
Collection and Disposal
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
60 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-28
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Kao Corporation strengths

Brand TrustTraining Org Change CostsService Field NetworkCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In Qualification

Waste Management, Inc. strengths

Permits Rights Of WayCapacity MoatPricing power via yield management and contracted rate actionsOperational ExcellencePreferential Input AccessRegulated Standards PipePhysical Network Density

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%

Waste Management, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Collection and Disposal

Oligopoly

82.2%

Recycling Processing and Sales

Competitive

6%

WM Renewable Energy

Competitive

1.7%

WM Healthcare Solutions

Oligopoly

10%

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.