VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Abbott Laboratories vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

Abbott Laboratories

ABT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$219.2B
Gross margin (TTM)54%
Operating margin (TTM)17.7%
Net margin (TTM)31.9%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Devices
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
64/ 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 Abbott Laboratories's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ABT 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: Abbott Laboratories leads (64 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Abbott Laboratories has 7 segments (26.7% in Cardiovascular & Electrophysiology Devices); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Abbott Laboratories has 10 moat types across 3 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

Abbott Laboratories

Cardiovascular & Electrophysiology Devices

Market

Cardiovascular, electrophysiology, rhythm management, structural heart and heart failure devices

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, cardiologists/electrophysiologists

Role

Implantable device manufacturer

Revenue share

26.7%

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

Abbott Laboratories
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ABT - New York Stock Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$219.2B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
54%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
17.7%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
31.9%
9.9%
Sector
Healthcare
Consumer
Industry
Medical - Devices
Specialty Retail
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Cardiovascular & Electrophysiology Devices
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
64 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Abbott Laboratories strengths

Brand TrustProcurement InertiaInstalled Base ConsumablesData Workflow LockinGovernment Contracting RelationshipsCompliance AdvantageDistribution ControlScale Economies Unit CostTraining Org Change CostsIP Choke Point

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

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

Segment mix

Abbott Laboratories segments

Full profile >

Established Pharmaceutical Products

Competitive

12.4%

Diagnostic Products

Oligopoly

22.3%

Pediatric Nutrition

Oligopoly

9.6%

Adult Nutrition

Oligopoly

10.5%

Diabetes Care (CGM & glucose monitoring)

Duopoly

16.2%

Cardiovascular & Electrophysiology Devices

Oligopoly

26.7%

Neuromodulation Devices

Oligopoly

2.3%

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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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.