VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Broadcom Inc. vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

Broadcom Inc.

AVGO · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$1.6T
Gross margin (TTM)67.8%
Operating margin (TTM)39.9%
Net margin (TTM)36.2%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySemiconductors
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
66/ 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 Broadcom Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AVGO 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: Broadcom Inc. leads (66 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Broadcom Inc. has 2 segments (57.7% in Semiconductor Solutions); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Broadcom Inc. has 8 moat types across 4 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

Broadcom Inc.

Semiconductor Solutions

Market

Fabless semiconductor solutions (data center and AI networking/custom silicon, connectivity, broadband, storage, industrial) plus semiconductor IP licensing

Geography

Global

Customer

Hyperscalers, OEMs, and contract manufacturers; sold via direct sales and distributors

Role

Fabless chip designer and IP licensor; outsources most wafer manufacturing and assembly/test

Revenue share

57.7%

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

Broadcom Inc.
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AVGO - NASDAQ Global Select Market
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$1.6T
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
67.8%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
39.9%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
36.2%
9.9%
Sector
Technology
Consumer
Industry
Semiconductors
Specialty Retail
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Semiconductor Solutions
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
66 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs GeneralSuite Bundling

Broadcom Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationKeystone ComponentSupply Chain ControlIP Choke PointLong Term ContractsEcosystem Complements

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input AccessData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Broadcom Inc. segments

Full profile >

Semiconductor Solutions

Oligopoly

57.7%

Infrastructure Software

Oligopoly

42.3%

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.

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.