VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Alphabet Inc. vs Waste Management, 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

Waste Management, Inc.

WM · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
79/ 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 Waste Management, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WM analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alphabet Inc. leads (86 / 100 vs 79 / 100 for Waste Management, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alphabet Inc. has 6 segments (56.6% in Google Search & other (Advertising)); Waste Management, Inc. has 4 segments (82.2% in Collection and Disposal).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Alphabet Inc. has 10 moat types across 4 domains; Waste Management, Inc. has 7 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%

Waste Management, Inc.

Collection and Disposal

Market

Municipal, commercial, and industrial solid waste collection, transfer, and landfill disposal

Geography

North America (primarily US and Canada)

Customer

Municipalities and end-customers (residential, commercial, industrial) via direct and contract channels

Role

Integrated hauler + transfer + landfill owner/operator

Revenue share

82.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Alphabet Inc.
Waste Management, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
GOOGL - The Nasdaq Stock Market
WM - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$3.7T
n/a
Sector
Communication Services
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Google Search & other (Advertising)
Collection and Disposal
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
88%-91% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
8,115
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
86 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Legal, Supply
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-21
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational Excellence

Alphabet Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsHabit DefaultTwo Sided NetworkContent Rights CurrencyDefault OS GatewaySwitching Costs GeneralCapex Knowhow ScaleEcosystem ComplementsIncubation & patient capital

Waste Management, Inc. strengths

Permits Rights Of WayCapacity MoatPricing power via yield management and contracted rate actionsPreferential Input AccessRegulated Standards PipePhysical Network Density

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%

Waste Management, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Collection and Disposal

Oligopoly

82.2%

Recycling Processing and Sales

Competitive

6%

WM Renewable Energy

Competitive

1.7%

WM Healthcare Solutions

Oligopoly

10%

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.