VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

ABB Ltd vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

ABB Ltd

ABBN · SIX Swiss Exchange

Market cap (USD)$109.6B
Gross margin (TTM)39.4%
Operating margin (TTM)17.2%
Net margin (TTM)12.9%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryElectrical Equipment & Parts
CountryCH
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
73/ 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 ABB Ltd's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ABBN 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: ABB Ltd leads (73 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: ABB Ltd has 4 segments (46.2% in Electrification); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: ABB Ltd has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

ABB Ltd

Electrification

Market

Low- and medium-voltage electrification equipment and solutions

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B/B2G

Role

Manufacturer and solutions provider; channel-led distribution; after-sales service

Revenue share

46.2%

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

ABB Ltd
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ABBN - SIX Swiss Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$109.6B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
39.4%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.2%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
12.9%
9.9%
Sector
Industrials
Consumer
Industry
Electrical Equipment & Parts
Specialty Retail
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Electrification
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
73 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Network
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

ABB Ltd strengths

Distribution ControlBrand TrustService Field NetworkData Workflow LockinInstalled Base ConsumablesEcosystem Complements

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

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

Segment mix

ABB Ltd segments

Full profile >

Electrification

Oligopoly

46.2%

Motion

Oligopoly

22%

Process Automation

Oligopoly

20.5%

Robotics & Discrete Automation

Oligopoly

9.8%

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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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.