VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Crown Castle Inc. vs Thales S.A.

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

Crown Castle Inc.

CCI · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$38.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorReal Estate
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
84/ 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 Crown Castle Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CCI analysis

Thales S.A.

HO · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)$48.3B
Gross margin (TTM)26.1%
Operating margin (TTM)9%
Net margin (TTM)5.1%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAerospace & Defense
CountryFR
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
73/ 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 Thales S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Crown Castle Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 73 / 100 for Thales S.A.).
  • Segment focus: Crown Castle Inc. has 2 segments (67% in Towers); Thales S.A. has 3 segments (53.3% in Defence).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Crown Castle Inc. has 3 moat types across 3 domains; Thales S.A. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Crown Castle Inc.

Towers

Market

U.S. macrocell tower leasing (wireless site rental)

Geography

United States

Customer

Mobile network operators

Role

Infrastructure owner/lessor

Revenue share

67%

Thales S.A.

Defence

Market

Defense electronics, secure communications, and mission systems

Geography

Global

Customer

Government / defence ministries, armed forces, security forces

Role

Prime contractor and system integrator; OEM of defence electronics

Revenue share

53.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Crown Castle Inc.
Thales S.A.
Ticker / Exchange
CCI - New York Stock Exchange
HO - Euronext Paris
Market cap (USD)
$38.7B
$48.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
26.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
9%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
5.1%
Sector
Real Estate
Industrials
Industry
n/a
Aerospace & Defense
HQ country
US
FR
Primary segment
Towers
Defence
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
16%-26% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
84 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal, Demand
Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term Contracts

Crown Castle Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of Way

Thales S.A. strengths

Government Contracting RelationshipsDesign In QualificationRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkBrand TrustSuite BundlingCapex Knowhow Scale

Segment mix

Crown Castle Inc. segments

Full profile >

Towers

Oligopoly

67%

Fiber (small cells + fiber solutions)

Competitive

33%

Thales S.A. segments

Full profile >

Defence

Oligopoly

53.3%

Aerospace

Oligopoly

26.6%

Cyber & Digital

Competitive

19.6%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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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.