VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Duolingo, Inc. vs Vulcan Materials 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

Vulcan Materials Company

VMC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$39.2B
Gross margin (TTM)28.2%
Operating margin (TTM)20.9%
Net margin (TTM)14.3%
SectorMaterials
IndustryConstruction Materials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
73/ 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 Vulcan Materials Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VMC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vulcan Materials Company leads (73 / 100 vs 68 / 100 for Duolingo, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Duolingo, Inc. has 2 segments (93.9% in Duolingo App); Vulcan Materials Company has 3 segments (74.4% in Aggregates).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Duolingo, Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Vulcan Materials Company has 5 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%

Vulcan Materials Company

Aggregates

Market

Construction aggregates (crushed stone, sand & gravel)

Geography

United States (local/regional markets)

Customer

Construction contractors and public infrastructure agencies

Role

Upstream raw materials producer

Revenue share

74.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Duolingo, Inc.
Vulcan Materials Company
Ticker / Exchange
DUOL - NASDAQ
VMC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$8.6B
$39.2B
Gross margin (TTM)
72%
28.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
11%
20.9%
Net margin (TTM)
40%
14.3%
Sector
Technology
Materials
Industry
Software - Application
Construction Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Duolingo App
Aggregates
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
8%-11% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
68 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply
Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-06
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Duolingo, Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsHabit DefaultBrand TrustScope EconomiesDesign In QualificationOperational Excellence

Vulcan Materials Company strengths

Permits Rights Of WayGeographic NaturalPhysical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostSupply Chain Control

Segment mix

Duolingo, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Duolingo App

Competitive

93.9%

Duolingo English Test

Oligopoly

6.1%

Vulcan Materials Company segments

Full profile >

Aggregates

Oligopoly

74.4%

Asphalt

Competitive

16.8%

Concrete

Competitive

8.8%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

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.