VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Auto Trader Group plc vs MSCI Inc.

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

Auto Trader Group plc

AUTO · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorCommunication Services
Industry
CountryGB
Data as of2026-01-10
Moat score
96/ 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 Auto Trader Group plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AUTO analysis

MSCI Inc.

MSCI · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$45B
Gross margin (TTM)82.4%
Operating margin (TTM)54.2%
Net margin (TTM)40%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Data & Stock Exchanges
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-28
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 MSCI Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MSCI analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Auto Trader Group plc leads (96 / 100 vs 76 / 100 for MSCI Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Auto Trader Group plc has 2 segments (93.3% in Autotrader (UK automotive marketplace & data platform)); MSCI Inc. has 4 segments (55.9% in Index).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Auto Trader Group plc has 4 moat types across 2 domains; MSCI Inc. has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Auto Trader Group plc

Autotrader (UK automotive marketplace & data platform)

Market

UK digital automotive marketplace (new & used) with retailer advertising/data products

Geography

United Kingdom

Customer

Consumers, vehicle retailers, OEMs/advertising agencies

Role

Two-sided marketplace + advertising/data & workflow tools

Revenue share

93.3%

MSCI Inc.

Index

Market

Investment indexes and index licensing

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional investors and asset managers

Role

Index provider / benchmark administrator

Revenue share

55.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Auto Trader Group plc
MSCI Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AUTO - London Stock Exchange
MSCI - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$45B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
82.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
54.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
40%
Sector
Communication Services
Financials
Industry
n/a
Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges
HQ country
GB
US
Primary segment
Autotrader (UK automotive marketplace & data platform)
Index
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
75%-80% (reported)
23%-27% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
96 / 100
76 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand
Network, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

Auto Trader Group plc strengths

Two Sided NetworkHabit DefaultEcosystem Complements

MSCI Inc. strengths

De Facto StandardSwitching Costs GeneralCompliance Advantage

Segment mix

Auto Trader Group plc segments

Full profile >

Autotrader (UK automotive marketplace & data platform)

Quasi-Monopoly

93.3%

Autorama (vehicle leasing marketplace)

Competitive

6.7%

MSCI Inc. segments

Full profile >

Index

Oligopoly

55.9%

Analytics

Oligopoly

23.6%

Sustainability and Climate

Competitive

11.4%

Private Assets

Competitive

9%

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.