VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

ASML Holding N.V. vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

ASML Holding N.V.

ASML · Euronext Amsterdam

Market cap (USD)$422.1B
Gross margin (TTM)52.7%
Operating margin (TTM)34.9%
Net margin (TTM)29.4%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySemiconductors
CountryNL
Data as of2025-12-21
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 ASML Holding N.V.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ASML 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: ASML Holding N.V. leads (76 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: ASML Holding N.V. has 3 segments (23% in Installed Base Management (service, upgrades, field options)); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: ASML Holding N.V. has 6 moat types across 2 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

ASML Holding N.V.

Installed Base Management (service, upgrades, field options)

Market

Service, upgrades and field options for installed ASML lithography tools

Geography

Global

Customer

Owners/operators of ASML lithography systems

Role

Aftermarket service provider

Revenue share

23%

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

ASML Holding N.V.
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ASML - Euronext Amsterdam
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$422.1B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
52.7%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
34.9%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
29.4%
9.9%
Sector
Technology
Consumer
Industry
Semiconductors
Specialty Retail
HQ country
NL
US
Primary segment
Installed Base Management (service, upgrades, field options)
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

ASML Holding N.V. strengths

Supply Chain ControlCapex Knowhow ScaleBrand TrustService Field NetworkInstalled Base Consumables

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

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

Segment mix

ASML Holding N.V. segments

Full profile >

EUV lithography systems (incl. High-NA)

Monopoly

n/a

DUV lithography systems

Oligopoly

n/a

Installed Base Management (service, upgrades, field options)

Quasi-Monopoly

23%

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.