VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

American Water Works Company, Inc. vs MercadoLibre, 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

MercadoLibre, Inc.

MELI · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$110.4B
Gross margin (TTM)45.1%
Operating margin (TTM)12%
Net margin (TTM)7.9%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
73/ 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 MercadoLibre, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MELI analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: American Water Works Company, Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 73 / 100 for MercadoLibre, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 2 segments (91.7% in Regulated Businesses); MercadoLibre, Inc. has 2 segments (58.5% in Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; MercadoLibre, Inc. has 6 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%

MercadoLibre, Inc.

Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)

Market

Latin American e-commerce marketplace and commerce services (online marketplace, 1P retail, fulfillment/logistics, advertising)

Geography

Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and other countries)

Customer

Consumers (buyers) and merchants/brands (sellers), including MSMEs

Role

Marketplace operator + retailer + logistics orchestrator

Revenue share

58.5%

Side-by-side metrics

American Water Works Company, Inc.
MercadoLibre, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AWK - New York Stock Exchange
MELI - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$25B
$110.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
45.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
12%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
7.9%
Sector
Utilities
Technology
Industry
n/a
Specialty Retail
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Regulated Businesses
Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)
Market structure
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
79 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Network, Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-09
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance Advantage

American Water Works Company, Inc. strengths

Concession LicensePhysical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsGovernment Contracting RelationshipsOperational Excellence

MercadoLibre, Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkEcosystem ComplementsDistribution ControlSwitching Costs GeneralData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

American Water Works Company, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Regulated Businesses

Monopoly

91.7%

Military and Contract Water Services (Other)

Duopoly

8.3%

MercadoLibre, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)

Oligopoly

58.5%

Fintech (Mercado Pago & credit)

Competitive

41.5%

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.

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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.