VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

AstraZeneca PLC vs Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

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

AstraZeneca PLC

AZN · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryGB
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
71/ 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 AstraZeneca PLC's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AZN analysis

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

BRK.B · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)28.7%
Operating margin (TTM)15.8%
Net margin (TTM)17.8%
SectorFinancials
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
64/ 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 Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BRK.B analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: AstraZeneca PLC leads (71 / 100 vs 64 / 100 for Berkshire Hathaway Inc.).
  • Segment focus: AstraZeneca PLC has 6 segments (41% in Oncology); Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has 11 segments (28.3% in Insurance (underwriting + investment income)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs n/a.
  • Moat breadth: AstraZeneca PLC has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has 17 across 4.

Primary market context

AstraZeneca PLC

Oncology

Market

Innovator oncology therapeutics (branded prescription medicines)

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals, oncology clinics, payers

Role

Innovator biopharmaceutical company

Revenue share

41%

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Insurance (underwriting + investment income)

Market

Insurance and reinsurance (property and casualty + life/health), including float-funded investing

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers and businesses (policyholders) and insurers (reinsurance cedents)

Role

Underwriter and reinsurer plus investment manager of float

Revenue share

28.3%

Side-by-side metrics

AstraZeneca PLC
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AZN - London Stock Exchange
BRK.B - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
28.7%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
15.8%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
17.8%
Sector
Healthcare
Financials
Industry
n/a
n/a
HQ country
GB
US
Primary segment
Oncology
Insurance (underwriting + investment income)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
n/a
Moat score
71 / 100
64 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Financial, Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

IP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleBrand Trust

AstraZeneca PLC strengths

Regulated Standards Pipe

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. strengths

Float PrepaymentCapacity MoatPhysical Network DensityLong Term ContractsConcession LicensePermits Rights Of WayDesign In QualificationScale Economies Unit CostDistribution ControlTraining Org Change CostsPreferential Input AccessService Field NetworkScope EconomiesCost Of Capital Advantage

Segment mix

AstraZeneca PLC segments

Full profile >

Oncology

Oligopoly

41%

Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM)

Competitive

23%

Respiratory & Immunology (R&I)

Oligopoly

15%

Vaccines & Immune Therapies (V&I)

Oligopoly

3%

Rare Disease

Oligopoly

16%

Other Medicines

Competitive

2%

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. segments

Full profile >

Insurance (underwriting + investment income)

Competitive

28.3%

BNSF Railway (freight rail transportation)

Oligopoly

6.4%

Berkshire Hathaway Energy (regulated utilities, pipelines, renewables)

Monopoly

7.1%

Industrial products manufacturing (PCC, Lubrizol, IMC, Marmon, etc.)

Oligopoly

9.7%

Building products & housing (Clayton Homes, Shaw, Johns Manville, Benjamin Moore, etc.)

Competitive

7.2%

Consumer products manufacturing (Duracell, Forest River, apparel/footwear, toys, etc.)

Competitive

4%

Service businesses (FlightSafety, NetJets, TTI, Dairy Queen, etc.)

Competitive

5.6%

Retailing businesses (Berkshire Hathaway Automotive, home furnishings, jewelry, See's, etc.)

Competitive

5.2%

Pilot Travel Centers (travel centers + wholesale fuel marketing)

Oligopoly

12.6%

McLane (wholesale distribution to convenience stores and restaurants)

Oligopoly

14%

Holding company capital allocation and investing

Competitive

n/a

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.