VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

Stock Comparison

American Express Company vs Mastercard Incorporated

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

American Express Company

AXP · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$213.3B
Gross margin (TTM)83.5%
Operating margin (TTM)20.7%
Net margin (TTM)13.6%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Credit Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-05-27
Moat score
76/ 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 Express Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AXP analysis

Mastercard Incorporated

MA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$437.6B
Gross margin (TTM)83%
Operating margin (TTM)59.4%
Net margin (TTM)45.9%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Credit Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-05-27
Moat score
76/ 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 Mastercard Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score: both at 76 / 100.
  • Segment focus: American Express Company has 4 segments (48% in U.S. Consumer Services); Mastercard Incorporated has 2 segments (58.9% in Payment Network).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: American Express Company has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Mastercard Incorporated has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

American Express Company

U.S. Consumer Services

Market

U.S. premium consumer credit, charge, banking, lending, travel, dining and lifestyle card services

Geography

United States

Customer

Affluent and mass-affluent U.S. consumers

Role

Issuer, lender, rewards platform, banking provider, travel/dining service provider and closed-loop network participant

Revenue share

48%

Mastercard Incorporated

Payment Network

Market

Four-party card payment network (switching, acceptance, and network-related services)

Geography

Global

Customer

Issuers, acquirers, merchants, account holders

Role

Network operator (authorization, clearing, settlement) and rules/standards steward

Revenue share

58.9%

Side-by-side metrics

American Express Company
Mastercard Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
AXP - New York Stock Exchange
MA - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$213.3B
$437.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
83.5%
83%
Operating margin (TTM)
20.7%
59.4%
Net margin (TTM)
13.6%
45.9%
Sector
Financials
Financials
Industry
Financial - Credit Services
Financial - Credit Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
U.S. Consumer Services
Payment Network
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
10.5%-11% (implied)
29.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
76 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Network, Supply
Network, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-05-27
2026-05-27

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustData Network EffectsData Workflow LockinTwo Sided Network

American Express Company strengths

Habit DefaultProcurement InertiaScope Economies

Mastercard Incorporated strengths

Clearing SettlementRegulated Standards Pipe

Segment mix

American Express Company segments

Full profile >

U.S. Consumer Services

Oligopoly

48%

Commercial Services

Oligopoly

23.4%

International Card Services

Competitive

17.9%

Global Merchant and Network Services

Oligopoly

10.7%

Mastercard Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Payment Network

Oligopoly

58.9%

Value-Added Services and Solutions

Competitive

41.1%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.