VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Stock Comparison
American Water Works Company, Inc. vs Global Payments 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
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 analysisGlobal Payments Inc.
GPN · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Global Payments Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View GPN analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: American Water Works Company, Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 62 / 100 for Global Payments Inc.).
- Segment focus: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 2 segments (91.7% in Regulated Businesses); Global Payments Inc. has 2 segments (76.1% in Merchant Solutions).
- Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Global Payments Inc. has 6 across 4.
Primary market context
American Water Works Company, Inc.
Regulated Businesses
Regulated water and wastewater utility service in certificated/franchised territories
United States (14-state footprint)
Residential, commercial, industrial, public authority, fire service, and sale-for-resale customers
Regulated utility owner/operator (water & wastewater)
91.7%
Global Payments Inc.
Merchant Solutions
Merchant acquiring and integrated payments (card-present and e-commerce)
Global
Merchants (SMB to enterprise) and software platforms
Acquirer and payment processor
76.1%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
American Water Works Company, Inc. strengths
Global Payments Inc. strengths
Segment mix
American Water Works Company, Inc. segments
Full profile >Regulated Businesses
Monopoly
Military and Contract Water Services (Other)
Duopoly
Global Payments Inc. segments
Full profile >Merchant Solutions
Competitive
Issuer Solutions
Oligopoly
Want the full wide moat stocks list?
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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.
View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.