VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Experian plc vs Waters Corporation

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

Waters Corporation

WAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
66/ 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 Waters Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WAT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Experian plc leads (76 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Waters Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Experian plc has 4 segments (67.2% in North America); Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Experian plc has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.

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%

Waters Corporation

Waters instrument systems

Market

Liquid chromatography (LC/UPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analytical instrument systems (including LC-MS workflows and instrument control/data system software)

Geography

Global

Customer

Pharma/biotech, industrial, academic and government laboratories

Role

OEM + software/platform provider

Revenue share

34.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Experian plc
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
EXPN - London Stock Exchange
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$31.8B
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
24.8%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
24.8%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
16.5%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Consulting Services
n/a
HQ country
JE
US
Primary segment
North America
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Experian plc strengths

Data Network EffectsRegulated Standards PipeTwo Sided NetworkPreferential Input AccessCompliance AdvantageSuite BundlingSwitching Costs General

Waters Corporation strengths

Data Workflow LockinDesign In QualificationBrand TrustInstalled Base ConsumablesSupply Chain ControlLong Term ContractsService Field Network

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%

Waters Corporation segments

Full profile >

Waters instrument systems

Oligopoly

34.9%

Chemistry consumables

Competitive

19.1%

Waters service & software maintenance

Competitive

34%

TA instrument systems & service

Oligopoly

12%

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.