VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Diageo plc vs InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

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

Diageo plc

DGE · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$36.2B
Gross margin (TTM)60.2%
Operating margin (TTM)27.9%
Net margin (TTM)15.3%
SectorConsumer
IndustryBeverages - Wineries & Distilleries
CountryGB
Data as of2025-12-30
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 Diageo plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View DGE analysis

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

IHG · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorConsumer
Industry
CountryGB
Data as of2026-01-10
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 InterContinental Hotels Group PLC's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View IHG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Diageo plc leads (77 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for InterContinental Hotels Group PLC).
  • Segment focus: Diageo plc has 3 segments (76% in Spirits); InterContinental Hotels Group PLC has 5 segments (36% in Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Diageo plc has 3 moat types across 2 domains; InterContinental Hotels Group PLC has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Diageo plc

Spirits

Market

Branded premium spirits (whisky, tequila, vodka, gin, rum, liqueurs)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers via off-trade retailers and on-trade outlets; distributors/wholesalers and key accounts

Role

Brand owner and producer with route-to-market execution

Revenue share

76%

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)

Market

Branded hotel franchising and management services

Geography

Global

Customer

Hotel owners and developers

Role

Franchisor and hotel manager (asset-light brand platform)

Revenue share

36%

Side-by-side metrics

Diageo plc
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC
Ticker / Exchange
DGE - London Stock Exchange
IHG - London Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$36.2B
$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
60.2%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
27.9%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
15.3%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Beverages - Wineries & Distilleries
n/a
HQ country
GB
GB
Primary segment
Spirits
Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
77 / 100
57 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Demand, Supply, Network
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-10

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustDistribution Control

Diageo plc strengths

Capacity Moat

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsTwo Sided NetworkPass-through reimbursement revenueAsset-heavy hotel operations (limited moat)Immaterial ancillary activity

Segment mix

Diageo plc segments

Full profile >

Spirits

Oligopoly

76%

Beer (Guinness and other beers)

Oligopoly

18%

Ready-to-Drink (RTDs)

Competitive

4%

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC segments

Full profile >

Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)

Oligopoly

36%

System Fund (marketing, reservations and loyalty assessments)

Monopoly

32.7%

Reimbursable revenues (managed hotel staff reimbursements)

Competitive

20.3%

Owned, leased and managed lease hotels

Competitive

10.5%

Insurance activities (ancillary)

Competitive

0.5%

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.