VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Stock Comparison

AutoZone, Inc. vs Kimberly-Clark Corporation

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

AutoZone, Inc.

AZO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$57.2B
Gross margin (TTM)52.2%
Operating margin (TTM)18.4%
Net margin (TTM)12.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustryAuto - Parts
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
59/ 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 AutoZone, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AZO analysis

Kimberly-Clark Corporation

KMB · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$32.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorConsumer
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-12
Moat score
61/ 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 Kimberly-Clark Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View KMB analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Kimberly-Clark Corporation leads (61 / 100 vs 59 / 100 for AutoZone, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: AutoZone, Inc. has 2 segments (88% in U.S. Auto Parts Retail & Commercial Distribution); Kimberly-Clark Corporation has 3 segments (54.9% in North America).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: AutoZone, Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Kimberly-Clark Corporation has 4 across 2.

Primary market context

AutoZone, Inc.

U.S. Auto Parts Retail & Commercial Distribution

Market

U.S. automotive aftermarket replacement parts & accessories retail and commercial distribution

Geography

United States

Customer

DIY consumers; professional repair shops (DIFM)

Role

Retailer and distributor

Revenue share

88%

Kimberly-Clark Corporation

North America

Market

North American consumer and professional hygiene products (personal care, consumer tissue, and away-from-home hygiene)

Geography

North America

Customer

Consumers and commercial facilities via retail/e-commerce and distributors

Role

Branded manufacturer and marketer

Revenue share

54.9%

Side-by-side metrics

AutoZone, Inc.
Kimberly-Clark Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
AZO - New York Stock Exchange
KMB - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$57.2B
$32.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
52.2%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
18.4%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
12.8%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Auto - Parts
n/a
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
U.S. Auto Parts Retail & Commercial Distribution
North America
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
59 / 100
61 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Financial
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-12

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Distribution ControlBrand Trust

AutoZone, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityService Field NetworkOperational ExcellenceNegative Working Capital

Kimberly-Clark Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostCapex Knowhow Scale

Segment mix

AutoZone, Inc. segments

Full profile >

U.S. Auto Parts Retail & Commercial Distribution

Competitive

88%

International Auto Parts Retail & Commercial Distribution (Mexico & Brazil)

Competitive

12%

Kimberly-Clark Corporation segments

Full profile >

North America

Oligopoly

54.9%

International Personal Care

Oligopoly

28.5%

International Family Care and Professional

Oligopoly

16.6%

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.