VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

DSM-Firmenich AG vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

DSM-Firmenich AG

DSFIR · Euronext Amsterdam

Market cap (USD)$17.9B
Gross margin (TTM)34.1%
Operating margin (TTM)9.2%
Net margin (TTM)5.5%
SectorMaterials
IndustryHousehold & Personal Products
CountryCH
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
63/ 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 DSM-Firmenich AG's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View DSFIR 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: DSM-Firmenich AG leads (63 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: DSM-Firmenich AG has 4 segments (31% in Perfumery & Beauty); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: DSM-Firmenich AG has 10 moat types across 4 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

DSM-Firmenich AG

Perfumery & Beauty

Market

B2B fragrances, perfumery ingredients, and beauty ingredients

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumer brands (fine fragrance, personal care, home care) and beauty brands

Role

Ingredient supplier / fragrance house (co-creation + ingredient palette)

Revenue share

31%

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

DSM-Firmenich AG
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
DSFIR - Euronext Amsterdam
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$17.9B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
34.1%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
9.2%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
5.5%
9.9%
Sector
Materials
Consumer
Industry
Household & Personal Products
Specialty Retail
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Perfumery & Beauty
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal, Network
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

DSM-Firmenich AG strengths

Supply Chain ControlTraining Org Change CostsIP Choke PointScope EconomiesLearning Curve YieldCompliance AdvantageDesign In QualificationService Field NetworkEcosystem ComplementsData Workflow Lockin

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

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

Segment mix

DSM-Firmenich AG segments

Full profile >

Perfumery & Beauty

Oligopoly

31%

Taste, Texture & Health

Oligopoly

25.4%

Health, Nutrition & Care

Competitive

17.3%

Animal Nutrition & Health

Competitive

26%

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.