VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Alphabet Inc. vs Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

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

Alphabet Inc.

GOOGL · The Nasdaq Stock Market

Market cap (USD)$3.7T
SectorCommunication Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
86/ 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 Alphabet Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GOOGL analysis

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

ICE · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
87/ 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 Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ICE analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. leads (87 / 100 vs 86 / 100 for Alphabet Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alphabet Inc. has 6 segments (56.6% in Google Search & other (Advertising)); Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has 3 segments (53.4% in Exchanges).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Alphabet Inc. has 10 moat types across 4 domains; Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has 10 across 4.

Primary market context

Alphabet Inc.

Google Search & other (Advertising)

Market

Search advertising (intent-based digital ads)

Geography

Global

Customer

Advertisers (SMB to enterprise)

Role

Ad platform / publisher

Revenue share

56.6%

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

Exchanges

Market

Derivatives, cash equities, and listings exchanges plus central clearing (CCP) services

Geography

Global

Customer

Market participants (banks, broker-dealers, asset managers, proprietary traders) and issuers

Role

Exchange operator + clearing house (CCP)

Revenue share

53.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Alphabet Inc.
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
GOOGL - The Nasdaq Stock Market
ICE - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$3.7T
n/a
Sector
Communication Services
Financials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Google Search & other (Advertising)
Exchanges
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
88%-91% (reported)
75% (reported)
HHI estimate
8,115
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
86 / 100
87 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Legal, Supply
Network, Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-21
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Network EffectsTwo Sided Network

Alphabet Inc. strengths

Habit DefaultContent Rights CurrencyOperational ExcellenceDefault OS GatewaySwitching Costs GeneralCapex Knowhow ScaleEcosystem ComplementsIncubation & patient capital

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. strengths

Clearing SettlementConcession LicenseBrand TrustData Workflow LockinPhysical Network DensityInteroperability HubStandards RegistryCompliance Advantage

Segment mix

Alphabet Inc. segments

Full profile >

Google Search & other (Advertising)

Quasi-Monopoly

56.6%

YouTube (Advertising)

Oligopoly

10.3%

Google Network (Advertising)

Competitive

8.7%

Google Subscriptions, Platforms & Devices

Quasi-Monopoly

11.5%

Google Cloud

Oligopoly

12.4%

Other Bets

Competitive

0.5%

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Exchanges

Oligopoly

53.4%

Fixed Income and Data Services

Oligopoly

24.8%

Mortgage Technology

Oligopoly

21.8%

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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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.