VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Elevance Health, Inc. vs Altria Group, Inc.

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

Elevance Health, Inc.

ELV · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$82.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Healthcare Plans
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
74/ 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 Elevance Health, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ELV analysis

Altria Group, Inc.

MO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$96.6B
Gross margin (TTM)72%
Operating margin (TTM)55.2%
Net margin (TTM)44%
SectorConsumer
IndustryTobacco
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
88/ 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 Altria Group, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Altria Group, Inc. leads (88 / 100 vs 74 / 100 for Elevance Health, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Elevance Health, Inc. has 3 segments (85.2% in Health Benefits); Altria Group, Inc. has 3 segments (88.3% in Smokeable Products).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Elevance Health, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Altria Group, Inc. has 5 across 3.

Primary market context

Elevance Health, Inc.

Health Benefits

Market

U.S. health insurance and managed care

Geography

United States

Customer

Employers, individuals, and government programs

Role

Payer / managed care organization

Revenue share

85.2%

Altria Group, Inc.

Smokeable Products

Market

U.S. cigarettes and machine-made cigars

Geography

United States

Customer

Wholesalers/distributors and large retail organizations (serving adult tobacco consumers 21+)

Role

Manufacturer and brand owner

Revenue share

88.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Elevance Health, Inc.
Altria Group, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ELV - New York Stock Exchange
MO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$82.8B
$96.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
72%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
55.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
44%
Sector
Healthcare
Consumer
Industry
Medical - Healthcare Plans
Tobacco
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Health Benefits
Smokeable Products
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
45.9% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
74 / 100
88 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand, Supply
Demand, Financial, Legal
Last update
2026-01-09
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Elevance Health, Inc. strengths

Concession LicenseScale Economies Unit CostGovernment Contracting RelationshipsData Workflow LockinSuite BundlingScope EconomiesSwitching Costs General

Altria Group, Inc. strengths

Habit DefaultBenchmark Pricing PowerCompliance AdvantageRegulated Standards Pipe

Segment mix

Elevance Health, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Health Benefits

Oligopoly

85.2%

CarelonRx

Oligopoly

12.8%

Carelon Services

Competitive

1.9%

Altria Group, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Smokeable Products

Oligopoly

88.3%

Oral Tobacco Products

Oligopoly

11.6%

E-Vapor and New Products (NJOY, Horizon, R&D)

Competitive

0.2%

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.

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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.