VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

American Express Company vs Moody's Corporation

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

Moody's Corporation

MCO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
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 Moody's Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MCO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Moody's Corporation leads (79 / 100 vs 52 / 100 for American Express Company).
  • Segment focus: American Express Company has 4 segments (47.5% in U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)); Moody's Corporation has 2 segments (53.5% in Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: n/a vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: American Express Company has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Moody's Corporation has 5 across 4.

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%

Moody's Corporation

Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)

Market

Credit ratings and ratings-related research

Geography

Global

Customer

Issuers, investors, regulators

Role

Credit rating agency / research provider

Revenue share

53.5%

Side-by-side metrics

American Express Company
Moody's Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
AXP - New York Stock Exchange
MCO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Sector
Financials
Financials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)
Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
29%-32% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
3,568
Pricing power
n/a
Strong
Moat score
52 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Financial, Network
Legal, Network, Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

American Express Company strengths

Switching Costs GeneralLong Term ContractsCost Of Capital AdvantageTraining Org Change CostsEcosystem ComplementsTwo Sided NetworkData Network Effects

Moody's Corporation strengths

Regulated Standards PipeDe Facto StandardData Workflow LockinScope Economies

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%

Moody's Corporation segments

Full profile >

Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)

Oligopoly

53.5%

Moody's Analytics (Risk & Data/Software)

Competitive

46.5%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.