VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

American Express Company vs The Charles Schwab 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

The Charles Schwab Corporation

SCHW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
74/ 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 The Charles Schwab Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SCHW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Charles Schwab Corporation leads (74 / 100 vs 52 / 100 for American Express Company).
  • Segment focus: American Express Company has 4 segments (47.5% in U.S. Consumer Services (USCS)); The Charles Schwab Corporation has 2 segments (79.4% in Investor Services).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: n/a vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: American Express Company has 8 moat types across 3 domains; The Charles Schwab Corporation has 7 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%

The Charles Schwab Corporation

Investor Services

Market

U.S. retail brokerage, self-directed investing, and wealth management platforms

Geography

United States

Customer

Retail investors, employers, retirement plan sponsors

Role

Broker-dealer + bank + wealth manager platform

Revenue share

79.4%

Side-by-side metrics

American Express Company
The Charles Schwab Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
AXP - New York Stock Exchange
SCHW - 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)
Investor Services
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
n/a
Weak
Moat score
52 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Financial, Network
Supply, Demand, Financial, Network
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustEcosystem Complements

American Express Company strengths

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

The Charles Schwab Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostSuite BundlingFloat PrepaymentData Workflow LockinService Field Network

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%

The Charles Schwab Corporation segments

Full profile >

Investor Services

Oligopoly

79.4%

Advisor Services

Oligopoly

20.6%

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.