VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

American Water Works Company, Inc. vs James Hardie Industries plc

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

James Hardie Industries plc

JHX · ASX

Market cap (USD)$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)36.3%
Operating margin (TTM)13.6%
Net margin (TTM)4.7%
SectorMaterials
IndustryConstruction Materials
CountryIE
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
74/ 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 James Hardie Industries plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View JHX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: American Water Works Company, Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 74 / 100 for James Hardie Industries plc).
  • Segment focus: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 2 segments (91.7% in Regulated Businesses); James Hardie Industries plc has 4 segments (64.2% in Siding & Trim).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; James Hardie Industries plc has 5 across 2.

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%

James Hardie Industries plc

Siding & Trim

Market

North American fiber cement exterior siding & trim (plus related exterior products)

Geography

North America (primarily U.S. and Canada)

Customer

Homebuilders, contractors, remodelers, dealers/distributors, and retailers

Role

Manufacturer / branded building-products supplier

Revenue share

64.2%

Side-by-side metrics

American Water Works Company, Inc.
James Hardie Industries plc
Ticker / Exchange
AWK - New York Stock Exchange
JHX - ASX
Market cap (USD)
$25B
$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
36.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
13.6%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
4.7%
Sector
Utilities
Materials
Industry
n/a
Construction Materials
HQ country
US
IE
Primary segment
Regulated Businesses
Siding & Trim
Market structure
Monopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
88%-92% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
79 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-09
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term ContractsOperational Excellence

American Water Works Company, Inc. strengths

Concession LicensePhysical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayCompliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit CostGovernment Contracting Relationships

James Hardie Industries plc strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleBrand TrustDistribution Control

Segment mix

American Water Works Company, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Regulated Businesses

Monopoly

91.7%

Military and Contract Water Services (Other)

Duopoly

8.3%

James Hardie Industries plc segments

Full profile >

Siding & Trim

Quasi-Monopoly

64.2%

Deck, Rail & Accessories

Oligopoly

11.7%

Australia & New Zealand

Oligopoly

11.6%

Europe

Competitive

12.5%

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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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.