VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

6981 · Tokyo Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$5.9T
Gross margin (TTM)41.4%
Operating margin (TTM)16.8%
Net margin (TTM)13.4%
SectorTechnology
IndustryHardware, Equipment & Parts
CountryJP
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
75/ 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 Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 6981 analysis

Ulta Beauty, Inc.

ULTA · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)13.2%
Net margin (TTM)9.9%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
58/ 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 Ulta Beauty, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ULTA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. leads (75 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. has 6 segments (47.7% in Capacitors (primarily MLCC)); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. has 8 moat types across 4 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Capacitors (primarily MLCC)

Market

Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) and related capacitors

Geography

Global

Customer

Electronics OEMs and tier-1 suppliers (smartphone, PC/server, automotive, industrial)

Role

Component manufacturer / supplier

Revenue share

47.7%

Ulta Beauty, Inc.

Beauty Products Retail

Market

U.S. beauty products retail (specialty omnichannel beauty retailer)

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers (end-users) shopping in-store and online

Role

Specialty retailer / distributor

Revenue share

94%

Side-by-side metrics

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
6981 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$5.9T
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
41.4%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
16.8%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
13.4%
9.9%
Sector
Technology
Consumer
Industry
Hardware, Equipment & Parts
Specialty Retail
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Capacitors (primarily MLCC)
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
38%-42% (reported)
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
75 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Financial, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleLearning Curve YieldDesign In QualificationBenchmark Pricing PowerBrand TrustIP Choke PointCompliance AdvantageResidual segment

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralPhysical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. segments

Full profile >

Capacitors (primarily MLCC)

Oligopoly

47.7%

Inductors and EMI Filters

Oligopoly

11.5%

High-Frequency Devices and Communications Modules

Oligopoly

25.4%

Batteries and Power Supply

Competitive

8.9%

Functional Devices (including sensors)

Competitive

5.6%

Other

Competitive

0.9%

Ulta Beauty, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Beauty Products Retail

Competitive

94%

Beauty Services

Competitive

4%

Platform Monetization (Retail Media, Credit Cards, Partner Royalties, Deferred Revenue)

Competitive

2%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.