VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Duolingo, Inc. vs The Hershey Company

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

Duolingo, Inc.

DUOL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$8.6B
Gross margin (TTM)72%
Operating margin (TTM)11%
Net margin (TTM)40%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySoftware - Application
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
68/ 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 Duolingo, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View DUOL analysis

The Hershey Company

HSY · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$36.5B
Gross margin (TTM)37.5%
Operating margin (TTM)16.6%
Net margin (TTM)11.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustryFood Confectioners
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
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 The Hershey Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HSY analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Hershey Company leads (75 / 100 vs 68 / 100 for Duolingo, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Duolingo, Inc. has 2 segments (93.9% in Duolingo App); The Hershey Company has 3 segments (81.4% in North America Confectionery).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Duolingo, Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; The Hershey Company has 4 across 2.

Primary market context

Duolingo, Inc.

Duolingo App

Market

Mobile-first, freemium language learning and adjacent subjects (math, music)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers (end-users); advertisers

Role

Digital learning platform / content & software publisher

Revenue share

93.9%

The Hershey Company

North America Confectionery

Market

Branded chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery

Geography

United States and Canada

Customer

Retail consumers via grocery, mass, club and convenience

Role

Branded manufacturer and marketer

Revenue share

81.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Duolingo, Inc.
The Hershey Company
Ticker / Exchange
DUOL - NASDAQ
HSY - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$8.6B
$36.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
72%
37.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
11%
16.6%
Net margin (TTM)
40%
11.8%
Sector
Technology
Consumer
Industry
Software - Application
Food Confectioners
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Duolingo App
North America Confectionery
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
34%-38% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
68 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustScope EconomiesOperational Excellence

Duolingo, Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsHabit DefaultDesign In Qualification

The Hershey Company strengths

Distribution Control

Segment mix

Duolingo, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Duolingo App

Competitive

93.9%

Duolingo English Test

Oligopoly

6.1%

The Hershey Company segments

Full profile >

North America Confectionery

Oligopoly

81.4%

North America Salty Snacks

Oligopoly

10.1%

International

Competitive

8.5%

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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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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

View expansion-stage stocks

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.