VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alphabet Inc. vs InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

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)$4T
Gross margin (TTM)59.2%
Operating margin (TTM)32.2%
Net margin (TTM)32.2%
SectorCommunication Services
IndustryInternet Content & Information
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 Hotels Group PLC

IHG · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorConsumer
Industry
CountryGB
Data as of2026-01-10
Moat score
57/ 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 Hotels Group PLC's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View IHG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alphabet Inc. leads (86 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for InterContinental Hotels Group PLC).
  • Segment focus: Alphabet Inc. has 6 segments (56.6% in Google Search & other (Advertising)); InterContinental Hotels Group PLC has 5 segments (36% in Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Alphabet Inc. has 10 moat types across 4 domains; InterContinental Hotels Group PLC has 8 across 3.

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 Hotels Group PLC

Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)

Market

Branded hotel franchising and management services

Geography

Global

Customer

Hotel owners and developers

Role

Franchisor and hotel manager (asset-light brand platform)

Revenue share

36%

Side-by-side metrics

Alphabet Inc.
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC
Ticker / Exchange
GOOGL - The Nasdaq Stock Market
IHG - London Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$4T
$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
59.2%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
32.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
32.2%
n/a
Sector
Communication Services
Consumer
Industry
Internet Content & Information
n/a
HQ country
US
GB
Primary segment
Google Search & other (Advertising)
Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
88%-91% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
8,115
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
86 / 100
57 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Legal, Supply
Demand, Supply, Network
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-10

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Two Sided Network

Alphabet Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsHabit DefaultContent Rights CurrencyOperational ExcellenceDefault OS GatewaySwitching Costs GeneralCapex Knowhow ScaleEcosystem ComplementsIncubation & patient capital

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC strengths

Brand TrustScale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsDistribution ControlPass-through reimbursement revenueAsset-heavy hotel operations (limited moat)Immaterial ancillary activity

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 Hotels Group PLC segments

Full profile >

Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)

Oligopoly

36%

System Fund (marketing, reservations and loyalty assessments)

Monopoly

32.7%

Reimbursable revenues (managed hotel staff reimbursements)

Competitive

20.3%

Owned, leased and managed lease hotels

Competitive

10.5%

Insurance activities (ancillary)

Competitive

0.5%

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.