VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

AstraZeneca PLC vs UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

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

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

UNH · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$308.1B
Gross margin (TTM)19.7%
Operating margin (TTM)6.1%
Net margin (TTM)4%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Healthcare Plans
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
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 UnitedHealth Group Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View UNH analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: AstraZeneca PLC leads (71 / 100 vs 64 / 100 for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated).
  • Segment focus: AstraZeneca PLC has 6 segments (41% in Oncology); UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has 4 segments (74.9% in UnitedHealthcare).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: AstraZeneca PLC has 4 moat types across 3 domains; UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has 5 across 2.

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%

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

UnitedHealthcare

Market

U.S. health benefits / managed care (commercial, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care)

Geography

United States (primarily)

Customer

Employers, individuals, and government-sponsored programs

Role

Health insurer / managed care organization

Revenue share

74.9%

Side-by-side metrics

AstraZeneca PLC
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
AZN - London Stock Exchange
UNH - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$308.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
19.7%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
6.1%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
4%
Sector
Healthcare
Healthcare
Industry
n/a
Medical - Healthcare Plans
HQ country
GB
US
Primary segment
Oncology
UnitedHealthcare
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Weak
Moat score
71 / 100
64 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

AstraZeneca PLC strengths

Regulated Standards PipeIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleBrand Trust

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostSuite BundlingOperational ExcellenceData Workflow LockinTraining Org Change Costs

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%

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated segments

Full profile >

UnitedHealthcare

Oligopoly

74.9%

Optum Health

Competitive

9.9%

Optum Insight

Competitive

1.7%

Optum Rx

Oligopoly

13.5%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

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.