VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

American Tower Corporation vs Watsco, 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)$82.5B
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

Watsco, Inc.

WSO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)10.2%
Net margin (TTM)7.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
72/ 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 Watsco, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WSO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: American Tower Corporation leads (76 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Watsco, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: American Tower Corporation has 3 segments; Watsco, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in HVAC/R Distribution).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: American Tower Corporation has 6 moat types across 4 domains; Watsco, Inc. has 4 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)

Watsco, Inc.

HVAC/R Distribution

Market

HVAC/R equipment, parts and supplies distribution

Geography

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico; export to Latin America/Caribbean)

Customer

Licensed HVAC and refrigeration contractors (residential & commercial)

Role

Wholesale distributor

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

American Tower Corporation
Watsco, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AMT - New York Stock Exchange
WSO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$82.5B
$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
74.6%
28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
45.9%
10.2%
Net margin (TTM)
28.1%
7.4%
Sector
Real Estate
Industrials
Industry
REIT - Specialty
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
U.S. & Canada Communications Sites
HVAC/R Distribution
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
9%-12% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply, Network
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network Density

American Tower Corporation strengths

Long Term ContractsPermits Rights Of WaySwitching Costs GeneralInteroperability HubCapacity Moat

Watsco, Inc. strengths

Contractual ExclusivityScale Economies Unit CostData Workflow Lockin

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

Watsco, Inc. segments

Full profile >

HVAC/R Distribution

Competitive

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

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.