VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Brown & Brown, Inc. vs The Hershey Company

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

Brown & Brown, Inc.

BRO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$27.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorFinancials
IndustryInsurance - Brokers
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
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 Brown & Brown, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BRO analysis

The Hershey Company

HSY · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$38.3B
Gross margin (TTM)37.5%
Operating margin (TTM)16.6%
Net margin (TTM)11.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustryFood Confectioners
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
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 The Hershey Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HSY analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Hershey Company leads (75 / 100 vs 61 / 100 for Brown & Brown, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Brown & Brown, Inc. has 2 segments (59% in Retail); The Hershey Company has 3 segments (81.4% in North America Confectionery).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Brown & Brown, Inc. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; The Hershey Company has 4 across 2.

Primary market context

Brown & Brown, Inc.

Retail

Market

Retail insurance brokerage and agency services (commercial P&C, employee benefits, personal lines) plus dealer F&I risk-mitigating products

Geography

Primarily United States; also selected international operations

Customer

Commercial (SMB to mid-market), public/quasi-public entities, professional and individual insured customers; auto/RV dealers for F&I

Role

Insurance intermediary (agent/broker) and risk solutions advisor

Revenue share

59%

The Hershey Company

North America Confectionery

Market

Branded chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery

Geography

United States and Canada

Customer

Retail consumers via grocery, mass, club and convenience

Role

Branded manufacturer and marketer

Revenue share

81.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Brown & Brown, Inc.
The Hershey Company
Ticker / Exchange
BRO - New York Stock Exchange
HSY - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$27.5B
$38.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
37.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
16.6%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
11.8%
Sector
Financials
Consumer
Industry
Insurance - Brokers
Food Confectioners
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Retail
North America Confectionery
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
34%-38% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
61 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-09
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Brown & Brown, Inc. strengths

Procurement InertiaScale Economies Unit CostContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input Access

The Hershey Company strengths

Distribution ControlOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

Segment mix

Brown & Brown, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Retail

Competitive

59%

Specialty Distribution

Oligopoly

41%

The Hershey Company segments

Full profile >

North America Confectionery

Oligopoly

81.4%

North America Salty Snacks

Oligopoly

10.1%

International

Competitive

8.5%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.