VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

AstraZeneca PLC vs Ulta Beauty, 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)$220.4B
Gross margin (TTM)75.2%
Operating margin (TTM)22%
Net margin (TTM)16.3%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
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

Ulta Beauty, Inc.

ULTA · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)13.2%
Net margin (TTM)9.9%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
58/ 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 Ulta Beauty, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ULTA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: AstraZeneca PLC leads (71 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: AstraZeneca PLC has 6 segments (41% in Oncology); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: AstraZeneca PLC has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

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%

Ulta Beauty, Inc.

Beauty Products Retail

Market

U.S. beauty products retail (specialty omnichannel beauty retailer)

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers (end-users) shopping in-store and online

Role

Specialty retailer / distributor

Revenue share

94%

Side-by-side metrics

AstraZeneca PLC
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AZN - London Stock Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$220.4B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
75.2%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
22%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
16.3%
9.9%
Sector
Healthcare
Consumer
Industry
Drug Manufacturers - General
Specialty Retail
HQ country
GB
US
Primary segment
Oncology
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
71 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2026-01-02
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

AstraZeneca PLC strengths

Regulated Standards PipeIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleBrand Trust

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralPhysical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

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%

Ulta Beauty, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Beauty Products Retail

Competitive

94%

Beauty Services

Competitive

4%

Platform Monetization (Retail Media, Credit Cards, Partner Royalties, Deferred Revenue)

Competitive

2%

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.