VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Aon plc vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

Aon plc

AON · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$75.9B
Gross margin (TTM)43.7%
Operating margin (TTM)24.8%
Net margin (TTM)16%
SectorFinancials
IndustryInsurance - Brokers
CountryIE
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
70/ 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 Aon plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AON 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: Aon plc leads (70 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Aon plc has 2 segments (67% in Risk Capital); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Aon plc has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

Aon plc

Risk Capital

Market

Large-account commercial insurance & reinsurance brokerage and risk advisory

Geography

Global

Customer

Enterprises, insurers, reinsurers

Role

Intermediary/advisor

Revenue share

67%

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

Aon plc
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AON - New York Stock Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$75.9B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
43.7%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
24.8%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
16%
9.9%
Sector
Financials
Consumer
Industry
Insurance - Brokers
Specialty Retail
HQ country
IE
US
Primary segment
Risk Capital
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
70 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

Aon plc strengths

Data Workflow LockinService Field NetworkBrand TrustCompliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit Cost

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Aon plc segments

Full profile >

Risk Capital

Oligopoly

67%

Human Capital

Oligopoly

33.2%

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.