VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

American Water Works Company, Inc. vs Alphabet Inc.

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

American Water Works Company, Inc.

AWK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$25B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorUtilities
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
79/ 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 Water Works Company, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AWK analysis

Alphabet Inc.

GOOGL · The Nasdaq Stock Market

Market cap (USD)$4T
Gross margin (TTM)59.2%
Operating margin (TTM)32.2%
Net margin (TTM)32.2%
SectorCommunication Services
IndustryInternet Content & Information
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
86/ 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 Alphabet Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GOOGL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alphabet Inc. leads (86 / 100 vs 79 / 100 for American Water Works Company, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 2 segments (91.7% in Regulated Businesses); Alphabet Inc. has 6 segments (56.6% in Google Search & other (Advertising)).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Alphabet Inc. has 10 across 4.

Primary market context

American Water Works Company, Inc.

Regulated Businesses

Market

Regulated water and wastewater utility service in certificated/franchised territories

Geography

United States (14-state footprint)

Customer

Residential, commercial, industrial, public authority, fire service, and sale-for-resale customers

Role

Regulated utility owner/operator (water & wastewater)

Revenue share

91.7%

Alphabet Inc.

Google Search & other (Advertising)

Market

Search advertising (intent-based digital ads)

Geography

Global

Customer

Advertisers (SMB to enterprise)

Role

Ad platform / publisher

Revenue share

56.6%

Side-by-side metrics

American Water Works Company, Inc.
Alphabet Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AWK - New York Stock Exchange
GOOGL - The Nasdaq Stock Market
Market cap (USD)
$25B
$4T
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
59.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
32.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
32.2%
Sector
Utilities
Communication Services
Industry
n/a
Internet Content & Information
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Regulated Businesses
Google Search & other (Advertising)
Market structure
Monopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
88%-91% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
8,115
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
79 / 100
86 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Network, Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-09
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational Excellence

American Water Works Company, Inc. strengths

Concession LicensePhysical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayCompliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsGovernment Contracting Relationships

Alphabet Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsHabit DefaultTwo Sided NetworkContent Rights CurrencyDefault OS GatewaySwitching Costs GeneralCapex Knowhow ScaleEcosystem ComplementsIncubation & patient capital

Segment mix

American Water Works Company, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Regulated Businesses

Monopoly

91.7%

Military and Contract Water Services (Other)

Duopoly

8.3%

Alphabet Inc. segments

Full profile >

Google Search & other (Advertising)

Quasi-Monopoly

56.6%

YouTube (Advertising)

Oligopoly

10.3%

Google Network (Advertising)

Competitive

8.7%

Google Subscriptions, Platforms & Devices

Quasi-Monopoly

11.5%

Google Cloud

Oligopoly

12.4%

Other Bets

Competitive

0.5%

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.