VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Experian plc vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

Experian plc

EXPN · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$31.8B
Gross margin (TTM)24.8%
Operating margin (TTM)24.8%
Net margin (TTM)16.5%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryConsulting Services
CountryJE
Data as of2025-12-30
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 Experian plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View EXPN 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: Experian plc leads (76 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Experian plc has 4 segments (67.2% in North America); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Experian plc has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

Experian plc

North America

Market

Consumer and business credit reporting, identity/fraud data and decision analytics, plus consumer credit/insurance marketplaces

Geography

North America

Customer

Financial institutions, insurers, auto lenders, healthcare providers, advertisers, consumers

Role

Data/analytics provider and consumer marketplace operator

Revenue share

67.2%

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

Experian plc
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
EXPN - London Stock Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$31.8B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
24.8%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
24.8%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
16.5%
9.9%
Sector
Industrials
Consumer
Industry
Consulting Services
Specialty Retail
HQ country
JE
US
Primary segment
North America
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingSwitching Costs General

Experian plc strengths

Regulated Standards PipeCompliance Advantage

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Experian plc segments

Full profile >

North America

Oligopoly

67.2%

Latin America

Quasi-Monopoly

14.2%

UK and Ireland

Oligopoly

11.6%

EMEA and Asia Pacific

Competitive

7%

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.