VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

American Tower Corporation vs American Water Works Company, Inc.

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

American Tower Corporation

AMT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$78.9B
Gross margin (TTM)74.6%
Operating margin (TTM)45.9%
Net margin (TTM)28.1%
SectorReal Estate
IndustryREIT - Specialty
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
76/ 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 American Tower Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AMT analysis

American Water Works Company, Inc.

AWK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$25B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorUtilities
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
79/ 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 American Water Works Company, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AWK analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: American Water Works Company, Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 76 / 100 for American Tower Corporation).
  • Segment focus: American Tower Corporation has 3 segments; American Water Works Company, Inc. has 2 segments (91.7% in Regulated Businesses).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: American Tower Corporation has 6 moat types across 4 domains; American Water Works Company, Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

American Tower Corporation

U.S. & Canada Communications Sites

Market

Wireless communications site leasing (macro towers, rooftops and DAS)

Geography

United States and Canada

Customer

Wireless carriers and other tenants (broadcast, data, government/municipal)

Role

Independent owner/operator of communications real estate (towerco)

American Water Works Company, Inc.

Regulated Businesses

Market

Regulated water and wastewater utility service in certificated/franchised territories

Geography

United States (14-state footprint)

Customer

Residential, commercial, industrial, public authority, fire service, and sale-for-resale customers

Role

Regulated utility owner/operator (water & wastewater)

Revenue share

91.7%

Side-by-side metrics

American Tower Corporation
American Water Works Company, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AMT - New York Stock Exchange
AWK - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$78.9B
$25B
Gross margin (TTM)
74.6%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
45.9%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
28.1%
n/a
Sector
Real Estate
Utilities
Industry
REIT - Specialty
n/a
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
U.S. & Canada Communications Sites
Regulated Businesses
Market structure
Oligopoly
Monopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply, Network
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term ContractsPermits Rights Of WayPhysical Network Density

American Tower Corporation strengths

Switching Costs GeneralInteroperability HubCapacity Moat

American Water Works Company, Inc. strengths

Concession LicenseCompliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit CostGovernment Contracting RelationshipsOperational Excellence

Segment mix

American Tower Corporation segments

Full profile >

U.S. & Canada Communications Sites

Oligopoly

n/a

International Communications Sites

Oligopoly

n/a

Data Centers

Competitive

n/a

American Water Works Company, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Regulated Businesses

Monopoly

91.7%

Military and Contract Water Services (Other)

Duopoly

8.3%

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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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.