VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

BAE Systems plc vs Pool Corporation

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)$55.2B
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

Pool Corporation

POOL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$8.8B
Gross margin (TTM)29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)11.1%
Net margin (TTM)7.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
56/ 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 Pool Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View POOL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: BAE Systems plc leads (75 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Pool Corporation).
  • Segment focus: BAE Systems plc has 5 segments (26.6% in Electronic Systems); Pool Corporation has 1 segment (100% in Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: BAE Systems plc has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Pool Corporation has 5 across 2.

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%

Pool Corporation

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Market

Wholesale distribution of swimming pool, irrigation/landscape, and related outdoor living products

Geography

North America (majority), with operations in Europe and Australia

Customer

Pool builders/remodelers, pool service/repair professionals, specialty pool retailers, irrigation/landscape contractors, commercial pool operators

Role

Distributor / wholesaler

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

BAE Systems plc
Pool Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
BA. - London Stock Exchange
POOL - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$55.2B
$8.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
8.6%
29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
9.3%
11.1%
Net margin (TTM)
7.4%
7.8%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Aerospace & Defense
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
GB
US
Primary segment
Electronic Systems
Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
75 / 100
56 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

BAE Systems plc strengths

Government Contracting RelationshipsDesign In QualificationCompliance AdvantageService Field NetworkLong Term ContractsCapex Knowhow ScaleCapacity MoatSwitching Costs General

Pool Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostScope EconomiesProcurement InertiaData Workflow Lockin

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%

Pool Corporation segments

Full profile >

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Competitive

100%

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.