VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Diageo plc vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

Ulta Beauty, Inc.

ULTA · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)13.2%
Net margin (TTM)9.9%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
58/ 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 Ulta Beauty, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ULTA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Diageo plc leads (77 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Diageo plc has 3 segments (76% in Spirits); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Diageo plc has 3 moat types across 2 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

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%

Ulta Beauty, Inc.

Beauty Products Retail

Market

U.S. beauty products retail (specialty omnichannel beauty retailer)

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers (end-users) shopping in-store and online

Role

Specialty retailer / distributor

Revenue share

94%

Side-by-side metrics

Diageo plc
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
DGE - London Stock Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$36.2B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
60.2%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
27.9%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
15.3%
9.9%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Beverages - Wineries & Distilleries
Specialty Retail
HQ country
GB
US
Primary segment
Spirits
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
77 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Diageo plc strengths

Brand TrustDistribution ControlCapacity Moat

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralPhysical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Diageo plc segments

Full profile >

Spirits

Oligopoly

76%

Beer (Guinness and other beers)

Oligopoly

18%

Ready-to-Drink (RTDs)

Competitive

4%

Ulta Beauty, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Beauty Products Retail

Competitive

94%

Beauty Services

Competitive

4%

Platform Monetization (Retail Media, Credit Cards, Partner Royalties, Deferred Revenue)

Competitive

2%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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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.