VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

BlackRock, Inc. vs InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

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

BlackRock, Inc.

BLK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$168.1B
Gross margin (TTM)51.6%
Operating margin (TTM)32.6%
Net margin (TTM)26.6%
SectorFinancials
IndustryAsset Management
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 BlackRock, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BLK analysis

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

IHG · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorConsumer
Industry
CountryGB
Data as of2026-01-10
Moat score
57/ 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 InterContinental Hotels Group PLC's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View IHG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: BlackRock, Inc. leads (59 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for InterContinental Hotels Group PLC).
  • Segment focus: BlackRock, Inc. has 7 segments (33% in iShares ETFs & ETPs); InterContinental Hotels Group PLC has 5 segments (36% in Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)).
  • Moat breadth: BlackRock, Inc. has 10 moat types across 2 domains; InterContinental Hotels Group PLC has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

BlackRock, Inc.

iShares ETFs & ETPs

Market

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded products (ETPs)

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional and retail (via intermediaries)

Role

ETF sponsor / asset manager

Revenue share

33%

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)

Market

Branded hotel franchising and management services

Geography

Global

Customer

Hotel owners and developers

Role

Franchisor and hotel manager (asset-light brand platform)

Revenue share

36%

Side-by-side metrics

BlackRock, Inc.
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC
Ticker / Exchange
BLK - New York Stock Exchange
IHG - London Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$168.1B
$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
51.6%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
32.6%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
26.6%
n/a
Sector
Financials
Consumer
Industry
Asset Management
n/a
HQ country
US
GB
Primary segment
iShares ETFs & ETPs
Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
28.3% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
59 / 100
57 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Network
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-10

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit CostBrand TrustDistribution ControlLong Term Contracts

BlackRock, Inc. strengths

Operational ExcellenceSwitching Costs GeneralSuite BundlingProcurement InertiaScope EconomiesData Workflow Lockin

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC strengths

Two Sided NetworkPass-through reimbursement revenueAsset-heavy hotel operations (limited moat)Immaterial ancillary activity

Segment mix

BlackRock, Inc. segments

Full profile >

iShares ETFs & ETPs

Oligopoly

33%

Institutional Index Mandates (Non-ETF)

Oligopoly

5.7%

Active & Multi-Asset (Public Markets)

Competitive

27.5%

Alternatives & Private Markets

Oligopoly

13.5%

Cash Management (MMFs & cash solutions)

Competitive

5.1%

Aladdin & Technology Services

Oligopoly

7.9%

Distribution & Advisory Services

Competitive

7.3%

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC segments

Full profile >

Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)

Oligopoly

36%

System Fund (marketing, reservations and loyalty assessments)

Monopoly

32.7%

Reimbursable revenues (managed hotel staff reimbursements)

Competitive

20.3%

Owned, leased and managed lease hotels

Competitive

10.5%

Insurance activities (ancillary)

Competitive

0.5%

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.