VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Apple Inc. vs McDonald's Corporation

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

Apple Inc.

AAPL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$3T
SectorTechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-20
Moat score
87/ 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 Apple Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AAPL analysis

McDonald's Corporation

MCD · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$221.3B
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
80/ 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 McDonald's Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MCD analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Apple Inc. leads (87 / 100 vs 80 / 100 for McDonald's Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Apple Inc. has 5 segments (50.4% in iPhone); McDonald's Corporation has 3 segments (48.7% in International Operated Markets).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Apple Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; McDonald's Corporation has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

Apple Inc.

iPhone

Market

Smartphones (with focus on premium smartphones and iOS ecosystem devices)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers and enterprises (end-users), plus carrier/retail channels

Role

OEM / platform owner

Revenue share

50.4%

McDonald's Corporation

International Operated Markets

Market

Quick-service restaurants and informal eating out (IEO)

Geography

International operated markets (e.g., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, U.K.)

Customer

Consumers (end customers) and franchisees (B2B system partners)

Role

Franchisor / restaurant operator

Revenue share

48.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Apple Inc.
McDonald's Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
AAPL - NASDAQ
MCD - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$3T
$221.3B
Sector
Technology
Consumer
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
iPhone
International Operated Markets
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
14%-17% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
87 / 100
80 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Network, Supply
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-20
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Apple Inc. strengths

Ecosystem ComplementsScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs GeneralDefault OS GatewayTwo Sided NetworkInstalled Base Consumables

McDonald's Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityDistribution ControlOperational ExcellenceLong Term Contracts

Segment mix

Apple Inc. segments

Full profile >

iPhone

Oligopoly

50.4%

Mac

Oligopoly

8.1%

iPad

Oligopoly

6.7%

Wearables, Home and Accessories

Competitive

8.6%

Services

Quasi-Monopoly

26.2%

McDonald's Corporation segments

Full profile >

U.S.

Competitive

41%

International Operated Markets

Competitive

48.7%

International Developmental Licensed Markets & Corporate

Competitive

10.3%

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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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.