VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Becton, Dickinson and Company vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

Becton, Dickinson and Company

BDX · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$58.3B
Gross margin (TTM)45.4%
Operating margin (TTM)11.8%
Net margin (TTM)7.7%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Instruments & Supplies
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
66/ 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 Becton, Dickinson and Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BDX 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: Becton, Dickinson and Company leads (66 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Becton, Dickinson and Company has 5 segments (29.5% in Medical Essentials); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Becton, Dickinson and Company has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

Becton, Dickinson and Company

Medical Essentials

Market

Single-use medical consumables and specimen collection systems

Geography

Global

Customer

Healthcare providers and clinical labs

Role

Manufacturer

Revenue share

29.5%

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

Becton, Dickinson and Company
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
BDX - New York Stock Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$58.3B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
45.4%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
11.8%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
7.7%
9.9%
Sector
Healthcare
Consumer
Industry
Medical - Instruments & Supplies
Specialty Retail
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Medical Essentials
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
66 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

Becton, Dickinson and Company strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesOperational ExcellenceCompliance AdvantageData Workflow LockinLong Term ContractsDesign In Qualification

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Becton, Dickinson and Company segments

Full profile >

Medical Essentials

Competitive

29.5%

Connected Care

Oligopoly

20.9%

BioPharma Systems

Oligopoly

10.6%

Interventional

Competitive

23.9%

Life Sciences

Oligopoly

15.1%

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.