VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Graco Inc. vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

Graco Inc.

GGG · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$14.2B
Gross margin (TTM)52.3%
Operating margin (TTM)26.6%
Net margin (TTM)22.7%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
67/ 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 Graco Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GGG 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: Graco Inc. leads (67 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Graco Inc. has 3 segments (49.4% in Contractor); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Graco Inc. has 7 moat types across 2 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

Graco Inc.

Contractor

Market

Professional and prosumer paint/coatings application equipment (airless sprayers, texture sprayers, line stripers, plural-component proportioners)

Geography

Global

Customer

Professional contractors and trades; DIY consumers via retail channels

Role

Equipment OEM / brand owner

Revenue share

49.4%

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

Graco Inc.
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
GGG - New York Stock Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$14.2B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
52.3%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
26.6%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
22.7%
9.9%
Sector
Industrials
Consumer
Industry
Industrial - Machinery
Specialty Retail
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Contractor
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
67 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2026-01-05
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Graco Inc. strengths

Brand TrustDistribution ControlOperational ExcellenceService Field NetworkDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesScope Economies

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralPhysical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Graco Inc. segments

Full profile >

Contractor

Oligopoly

49.4%

Industrial

Oligopoly

43.1%

Expansion Markets

Competitive

7.5%

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?

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.