VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Crown Castle Inc. vs Philip Morris International Inc.

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

Philip Morris International Inc.

PM · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$251.2B
Gross margin (TTM)66.3%
Operating margin (TTM)37.7%
Net margin (TTM)21.6%
SectorConsumer
IndustryTobacco
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
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 Philip Morris International Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View PM analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score: both at 84 / 100.
  • Segment focus: Crown Castle Inc. has 2 segments (67% in Towers); Philip Morris International Inc. has 3 segments (61.3% in Combustible Tobacco).
  • Moat breadth: Crown Castle Inc. has 3 moat types across 3 domains; Philip Morris International Inc. has 6 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%

Philip Morris International Inc.

Combustible Tobacco

Market

International combustible tobacco (primarily cigarettes)

Geography

Global (primarily ex-U.S.)

Customer

Adult smokers; distributors/wholesalers and retail channels

Role

Branded manufacturer and distributor

Revenue share

61.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Crown Castle Inc.
Philip Morris International Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CCI - New York Stock Exchange
PM - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$38.7B
$251.2B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
66.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
37.7%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
21.6%
Sector
Real Estate
Consumer
Industry
n/a
Tobacco
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Towers
Combustible Tobacco
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
16%-26% (implied)
25.3% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
84 / 100
84 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Crown Castle Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayLong Term Contracts

Philip Morris International Inc. strengths

Brand TrustDistribution ControlCompliance AdvantageInstalled Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointRegulated Standards Pipe

Segment mix

Crown Castle Inc. segments

Full profile >

Towers

Oligopoly

67%

Fiber (small cells + fiber solutions)

Competitive

33%

Philip Morris International Inc. segments

Full profile >

Combustible Tobacco

Oligopoly

61.3%

Smoke-Free Products

Oligopoly

37.8%

Wellness & Healthcare

Competitive

0.9%

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.