VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 9, 2026

Stock Comparison

Duolingo, Inc. vs Monster Beverage Corporation

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

Monster Beverage Corporation

MNST · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$73.9B
Gross margin (TTM)55.8%
Operating margin (TTM)28.3%
Net margin (TTM)21.7%
SectorConsumer
IndustryBeverages - Non-Alcoholic
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
76/ 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 Monster Beverage Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MNST analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Monster Beverage Corporation leads (76 / 100 vs 68 / 100 for Duolingo, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Duolingo, Inc. has 2 segments (93.9% in Duolingo App); Monster Beverage Corporation has 4 segments (91.6% in Monster Energy Drinks).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Duolingo, Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Monster Beverage Corporation has 5 across 3.

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%

Monster Beverage Corporation

Monster Energy Drinks

Market

Energy drinks

Geography

Global

Customer

Retail consumers (via bottlers/distributors and retailers); some direct-to-retail

Role

Brand owner, marketer, and RTD finished-goods seller

Revenue share

91.6%

Side-by-side metrics

Duolingo, Inc.
Monster Beverage Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
DUOL - NASDAQ
MNST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$8.6B
$73.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
72%
55.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
11%
28.3%
Net margin (TTM)
40%
21.7%
Sector
Technology
Consumer
Industry
Software - Application
Beverages - Non-Alcoholic
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Duolingo App
Monster Energy Drinks
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
33%-35% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
68 / 100
76 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Duolingo, Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsHabit DefaultScope EconomiesDesign In QualificationOperational Excellence

Monster Beverage Corporation strengths

Distribution ControlPreferential Input AccessContractual ExclusivitySpecialty flavor formulations (AFF)

Segment mix

Duolingo, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Duolingo App

Competitive

93.9%

Duolingo English Test

Oligopoly

6.1%

Monster Beverage Corporation segments

Full profile >

Monster Energy Drinks

Oligopoly

91.6%

Strategic Brands

Oligopoly

5.8%

Alcohol Brands

Competitive

2.3%

Other (AFF Third-Party Products)

Competitive

0.3%

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.