VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

American Water Works Company, Inc. vs PepsiCo, 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

PepsiCo, Inc.

PEP · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$191.3B
Gross margin (TTM)54.2%
Operating margin (TTM)14.3%
Net margin (TTM)7.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustryBeverages - Non-Alcoholic
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-23
Moat score
72/ 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 PepsiCo, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View PEP analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: American Water Works Company, Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for PepsiCo, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 2 segments (91.7% in Regulated Businesses); PepsiCo, Inc. has 7 segments (27% in Frito-Lay North America (FLNA)).
  • 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; PepsiCo, Inc. has 4 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%

PepsiCo, Inc.

Frito-Lay North America (FLNA)

Market

Branded convenient foods (salty snacks, dips and adjacent categories)

Geography

United States and Canada

Customer

Retailers, convenience stores, foodservice

Role

Branded manufacturer + distributor (DSD/warehouse/distributor networks)

Revenue share

27%

Side-by-side metrics

American Water Works Company, Inc.
PepsiCo, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AWK - New York Stock Exchange
PEP - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$25B
$191.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
54.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
14.3%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
7.8%
Sector
Utilities
Consumer
Industry
n/a
Beverages - Non-Alcoholic
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Regulated Businesses
Frito-Lay North America (FLNA)
Market structure
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
54%-58% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
3,530
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
79 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-09
2025-12-23

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit Cost

American Water Works Company, Inc. strengths

Concession LicensePhysical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayCompliance AdvantageLong Term ContractsGovernment Contracting RelationshipsOperational Excellence

PepsiCo, Inc. strengths

Distribution ControlBrand TrustScope Economies

Segment mix

American Water Works Company, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Regulated Businesses

Monopoly

91.7%

Military and Contract Water Services (Other)

Duopoly

8.3%

PepsiCo, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Frito-Lay North America (FLNA)

Oligopoly

27%

Quaker Foods North America (QFNA)

Competitive

4.2%

PepsiCo Beverages North America (PBNA)

Oligopoly

19.9%

Latin America (LatAm)

Oligopoly

12.3%

Europe

Oligopoly

22.4%

Africa, Middle East and South Asia (AMESA)

Competitive

8.8%

Asia Pacific, Australia & New Zealand and China Region (APAC)

Competitive

5.5%

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.