VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

BAE Systems plc vs Global Payments Inc.

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

BAE Systems plc

BA. · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$59.9B
Gross margin (TTM)8.6%
Operating margin (TTM)9.3%
Net margin (TTM)7.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAerospace & Defense
CountryGB
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
75/ 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 BAE Systems plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BA. analysis

Global Payments Inc.

GPN · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorFinancials
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-10
Moat score
62/ 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 Global Payments Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GPN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: BAE Systems plc leads (75 / 100 vs 62 / 100 for Global Payments Inc.).
  • Segment focus: BAE Systems plc has 5 segments (26.6% in Electronic Systems); Global Payments Inc. has 2 segments (76.1% in Merchant Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: BAE Systems plc has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Global Payments Inc. has 6 across 4.

Primary market context

BAE Systems plc

Electronic Systems

Market

Defence electronics (electronic warfare, avionics, C4ISR, space payloads and mission systems)

Geography

Primarily US and UK; global programmes

Customer

Government defence and intelligence agencies; prime contractors

Role

Subsystem OEM and prime contractor for electronics/mission systems

Revenue share

26.6%

Global Payments Inc.

Merchant Solutions

Market

Merchant acquiring and integrated payments (card-present and e-commerce)

Geography

Global

Customer

Merchants (SMB to enterprise) and software platforms

Role

Acquirer and payment processor

Revenue share

76.1%

Side-by-side metrics

BAE Systems plc
Global Payments Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
BA. - London Stock Exchange
GPN - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$59.9B
$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
8.6%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
9.3%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
7.4%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Financials
Industry
Aerospace & Defense
n/a
HQ country
GB
US
Primary segment
Electronic Systems
Merchant Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
75 / 100
62 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand, Supply
Network, Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-10

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance AdvantageLong Term ContractsSwitching Costs General

BAE Systems plc strengths

Government Contracting RelationshipsDesign In QualificationService Field NetworkCapex Knowhow ScaleCapacity Moat

Global Payments Inc. strengths

Ecosystem ComplementsData Workflow LockinScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

BAE Systems plc segments

Full profile >

Electronic Systems

Oligopoly

26.6%

Platforms & Services

Oligopoly

16.3%

Air

Oligopoly

26%

Maritime

Oligopoly

22.5%

Cyber & Intelligence

Competitive

8.6%

Global Payments Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchant Solutions

Competitive

76.1%

Issuer Solutions

Oligopoly

24.6%

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.