VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Unicharm Corporation vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

Unicharm Corporation

8113 · Tokyo Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$1.6T
Gross margin (TTM)38.5%
Operating margin (TTM)12.9%
Net margin (TTM)8.6%
SectorConsumer
IndustryHousehold & Personal Products
CountryJP
Data as of2025-12-29
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 Unicharm Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 8113 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: Unicharm Corporation leads (60 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Unicharm Corporation has 5 segments; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Unicharm Corporation has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

Unicharm Corporation

Baby and Child Care Products

Market

Disposable baby diapers and baby wipes

Geography

Japan, Asia, Middle East, and selected other markets

Customer

Consumers (parents/caregivers)

Role

Branded manufacturer

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

Unicharm Corporation
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
8113 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$1.6T
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
38.5%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
12.9%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
8.6%
9.9%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Household & Personal Products
Specialty Retail
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Baby and Child Care Products
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
35%-84% (reported)
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
60 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Unicharm Corporation strengths

Brand TrustDistribution ControlCapex Knowhow ScaleHabit DefaultTraining Org Change CostsIP Choke PointOperational Excellence

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

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

Segment mix

Unicharm Corporation segments

Full profile >

Baby and Child Care Products

Oligopoly

n/a

Feminine Care Products

Oligopoly

n/a

Wellness Care Products (Adult Incontinence)

Oligopoly

n/a

Pet Care Products

Competitive

n/a

Industrial Materials and Other Businesses

Competitive

n/a

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?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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.