VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Sunday, January 11, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Alibaba Group Holding Limited vs Global Payments Inc.

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

Alibaba Group Holding Limited

9988.HK · The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited

Market cap (USD)$2.7T

Gross margin (TTM)41.2%

Operating margin (TTM)10.9%

Net margin (TTM)12.2%

SectorConsumer

IndustrySpecialty Retail

CountryKY

Data as of2025-12-29

Moat score

56/ 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 Alibaba Group Holding Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 9988.HK analysis

Global Payments Inc.

GPN · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$18.8B

Gross margin (TTM)—

Operating margin (TTM)—

Net margin (TTM)—

SectorFinancials

Industry—

CountryUS

Data as of2026-01-10

Moat score

62/ 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 Global Payments Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GPN analysis

Comparison highlights

Moat score gap: Global Payments Inc. leads (62 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Alibaba Group Holding Limited).
Segment focus: Alibaba Group Holding Limited has 7 segments (41% in Taobao and Tmall Group); Global Payments Inc. has 2 segments (76.1% in Merchant Solutions).
Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
Moat breadth: Alibaba Group Holding Limited has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Global Payments Inc. has 6 across 4.

Primary market context

Alibaba Group Holding Limited

Taobao and Tmall Group

Market

China online retail marketplaces & merchant services (Taobao, Tmall, 1688)

Geography

China

Customer

Consumers and merchants/brands

Role

Marketplace + advertising/merchant services

Revenue share

41%

Global Payments Inc.

Merchant Solutions

Market

Merchant acquiring and integrated payments (card-present and e-commerce)

Geography

Global

Customer

Merchants (SMB to enterprise) and software platforms

Role

Acquirer and payment processor

Revenue share

76.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Alibaba Group Holding Limited

Global Payments Inc.

Ticker / Exchange

9988.HK - The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited

GPN - New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)

$2.7T

$18.8B

Gross margin (TTM)

41.2%

n/a

Operating margin (TTM)

10.9%

n/a

Net margin (TTM)

12.2%

n/a

Sector

Consumer

Financials

Industry

Specialty Retail

n/a

HQ country

Primary segment

Taobao and Tmall Group

Merchant Solutions

Market structure

Oligopoly

Competitive

Market share

n/a

HHI estimate

n/a

Pricing power

Moderate

Moat score

56 / 100

62 / 100

Moat domains

Network, Supply, Demand

Network, Demand, Supply, Legal

Last update

2025-12-29

2026-01-10

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Ecosystem ComplementsSwitching Costs General

Alibaba Group Holding Limited strengths

Two Sided NetworkCapex Knowhow ScaleSupply Chain ControlBrand Trust

Global Payments Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinScale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsCompliance Advantage

Segment mix

Alibaba Group Holding Limited segments

Full profile >

Taobao and Tmall Group

Oligopoly

41%

Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group

Competitive

12.1%

Cloud Intelligence Group (Alibaba Cloud)

Oligopoly

10.8%

Cainiao Smart Logistics Network Limited

Competitive

9.2%

Local Services Group

Oligopoly

6.1%

Digital Media and Entertainment Group

Competitive

All Others

Competitive

18.8%

Global Payments Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchant Solutions

Competitive

76.1%

Issuer Solutions

Oligopoly

24.6%

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.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.