VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

American Express Company vs Marriott International, Inc.

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)
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
52/ 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

Marriott International, Inc.

MAR · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
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 Marriott International, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MAR analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Marriott International, Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 52 / 100 for American Express Company).
  • Segment focus: American Express Company has 4 segments (47.5% in U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)); Marriott International, Inc. has 2 segments.
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: n/a vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: American Express Company has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Marriott International, Inc. has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

American Express Company

U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)

Market

U.S. premium consumer card issuing (charge and credit) and attached consumer banking and financing

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers

Role

Issuer (proprietary cards) and consumer lender/services

Revenue share

47.5%

Marriott International, Inc.

U.S. & Canada Lodging Platform

Market

Branded hotel franchising & management platform (including loyalty and reservation systems)

Geography

U.S. & Canada

Customer

Two-sided: travelers (guests) and hotel owners (franchisees/owners of managed properties)

Role

Brand owner / franchisor / manager; operator of reservation, loyalty, and marketing systems

Side-by-side metrics

American Express Company
Marriott International, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AXP - New York Stock Exchange
MAR - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Sector
Financials
Consumer
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)
U.S. & Canada Lodging Platform
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
16%-18% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
n/a
Moderate
Moat score
52 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Financial, Network
Demand, Network, Supply
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustLong Term ContractsTwo Sided Network

American Express Company strengths

Switching Costs GeneralCost Of Capital AdvantageTraining Org Change CostsEcosystem ComplementsData Network Effects

Marriott International, Inc. strengths

Distribution Control

Segment mix

American Express Company segments

Full profile >

U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)

Competitive

47.5%

Commercial Services (CS)

Competitive

23.9%

International Card Services (ICS)

Competitive

17.3%

Global Merchant and Network Services (GMNS)

Oligopoly

11.3%

Marriott International, Inc. segments

Full profile >

U.S. & Canada Lodging Platform

Competitive

n/a

International Lodging Platform

Competitive

n/a

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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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.