VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Unicharm Corporation vs Waters Corporation

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

Waters Corporation

WAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
66/ 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 Waters Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WAT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Waters Corporation leads (66 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Unicharm Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Unicharm Corporation has 5 segments; Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • Moat breadth: Unicharm Corporation has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.

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

Waters Corporation

Waters instrument systems

Market

Liquid chromatography (LC/UPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analytical instrument systems (including LC-MS workflows and instrument control/data system software)

Geography

Global

Customer

Pharma/biotech, industrial, academic and government laboratories

Role

OEM + software/platform provider

Revenue share

34.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Unicharm Corporation
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
8113 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$1.6T
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
38.5%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
12.9%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
8.6%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
Industry
Household & Personal Products
n/a
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Baby and Child Care Products
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
35%-84% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
60 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Unicharm Corporation strengths

Distribution ControlCapex Knowhow ScaleHabit DefaultTraining Org Change CostsIP Choke PointOperational Excellence

Waters Corporation strengths

Data Workflow LockinDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesSupply Chain ControlLong Term ContractsService Field Network

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

Waters Corporation segments

Full profile >

Waters instrument systems

Oligopoly

34.9%

Chemistry consumables

Competitive

19.1%

Waters service & software maintenance

Competitive

34%

TA instrument systems & service

Oligopoly

12%

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.