VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Celsius Holdings, Inc. vs Yum China Holdings, Inc.

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

Celsius Holdings, Inc.

CELH · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$12.4B
Gross margin (TTM)51.4%
Operating margin (TTM)4.5%
Net margin (TTM)3%
SectorConsumer
IndustryBeverages - Non-Alcoholic
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
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 Celsius Holdings, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CELH analysis

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

YUMC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$16.9B
Gross margin (TTM)17.2%
Operating margin (TTM)11.2%
Net margin (TTM)7.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustryRestaurants
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-28
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 Yum China Holdings, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View YUMC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Yum China Holdings, Inc. leads (75 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for Celsius Holdings, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Celsius Holdings, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Functional Energy Beverages (CELSIUS, Alani Nu, Rockstar)); Yum China Holdings, Inc. has 3 segments (75.3% in KFC).
  • Moat breadth: Celsius Holdings, Inc. has 3 moat types across 2 domains; Yum China Holdings, Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

Celsius Holdings, Inc.

Functional Energy Beverages (CELSIUS, Alani Nu, Rockstar)

Market

Energy drinks (functional/better-for-you positioning) and adjacent wellness products

Geography

Primarily North America; growing international presence

Customer

Consumers via retail and e-commerce channels; sold through distributor/retail channels

Role

Brand owner / product developer; uses third-party manufacturing and third-party distribution

Revenue share

100%

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

KFC

Market

Quick-service restaurants (QSR), chicken-focused, in China

Geography

China

Customer

Consumers (end-users) via dine-in, takeaway and delivery

Role

Brand owner/operator (company-owned + franchised restaurants)

Revenue share

75.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Celsius Holdings, Inc.
Yum China Holdings, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CELH - NASDAQ
YUMC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$12.4B
$16.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
51.4%
17.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
4.5%
11.2%
Net margin (TTM)
3%
7.8%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Beverages - Non-Alcoholic
Restaurants
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Functional Energy Beverages (CELSIUS, Alani Nu, Rockstar)
KFC
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
16%-16.4% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
57 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-05
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustScope Economies

Celsius Holdings, Inc. strengths

Distribution Control

Yum China Holdings, Inc. strengths

Contractual ExclusivityPhysical Network DensitySupply Chain ControlHabit DefaultOperational Excellence

Segment mix

Celsius Holdings, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Functional Energy Beverages (CELSIUS, Alani Nu, Rockstar)

Oligopoly

100%

Yum China Holdings, Inc. segments

Full profile >

KFC

Oligopoly

75.3%

Pizza Hut

Competitive

20%

All Other Segments (Emerging brands, delivery & e-commerce)

Competitive

1.6%

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.