VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Crown Castle Inc. vs Universal Music Group N.V.

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

Universal Music Group N.V.

UMG · Euronext Amsterdam

Market cap (USD)$40.3B
Gross margin (TTM)40.4%
Operating margin (TTM)10.4%
Net margin (TTM)17.5%
SectorCommunication Services
IndustryEntertainment
CountryNL
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
77/ 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 Universal Music Group N.V.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View UMG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Crown Castle Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 77 / 100 for Universal Music Group N.V.).
  • Segment focus: Crown Castle Inc. has 2 segments (67% in Towers); Universal Music Group N.V. has 3 segments (75.2% in Recorded Music).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Crown Castle Inc. has 3 moat types across 3 domains; Universal Music Group N.V. has 5 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%

Universal Music Group N.V.

Recorded Music

Market

Recorded music rights (labels) and monetization (streaming, physical, licensing/sync)

Geography

Global

Customer

Digital service providers (audio/video/social), physical retailers, and licensing counterparties

Role

Label / master rights holder; artist development, marketing and distribution

Revenue share

75.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Crown Castle Inc.
Universal Music Group N.V.
Ticker / Exchange
CCI - New York Stock Exchange
UMG - Euronext Amsterdam
Market cap (USD)
$38.7B
$40.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
40.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
10.4%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
17.5%
Sector
Real Estate
Communication Services
Industry
n/a
Entertainment
HQ country
US
NL
Primary segment
Towers
Recorded Music
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
16%-26% (implied)
31%-33% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
84 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal, Demand
Legal, Supply, Demand
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

Universal Music Group N.V. strengths

Content Rights CurrencyScale Economies Unit CostBrand TrustService Field Network

Segment mix

Crown Castle Inc. segments

Full profile >

Towers

Oligopoly

67%

Fiber (small cells + fiber solutions)

Competitive

33%

Universal Music Group N.V. segments

Full profile >

Recorded Music

Oligopoly

75.2%

Music Publishing

Oligopoly

17.9%

Merchandising and Other

Competitive

7.1%

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.