VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Global Payments Inc. vs Lam Research Corporation

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

Global Payments Inc.

GPN · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorFinancials
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-10
Moat score
62/ 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 Global Payments Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GPN analysis

Lam Research Corporation

LRCX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$274.3B
Gross margin (TTM)49.3%
Operating margin (TTM)33%
Net margin (TTM)29.7%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySemiconductors
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
73/ 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 Lam Research Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LRCX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Lam Research Corporation leads (73 / 100 vs 62 / 100 for Global Payments Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Global Payments Inc. has 2 segments (76.1% in Merchant Solutions); Lam Research Corporation has 2 segments (62.3% in Systems).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Global Payments Inc. has 6 moat types across 4 domains; Lam Research Corporation has 6 across 2.

Primary market context

Global Payments Inc.

Merchant Solutions

Market

Merchant acquiring and integrated payments (card-present and e-commerce)

Geography

Global

Customer

Merchants (SMB to enterprise) and software platforms

Role

Acquirer and payment processor

Revenue share

76.1%

Lam Research Corporation

Systems

Market

Wafer fabrication equipment (etch, deposition, clean and related wafer processing tools)

Geography

Global

Customer

Semiconductor manufacturers (memory, foundry, logic/IDM)

Role

Equipment OEM

Revenue share

62.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Global Payments Inc.
Lam Research Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
GPN - New York Stock Exchange
LRCX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$18.8B
$274.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
49.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
33%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
29.7%
Sector
Financials
Technology
Industry
n/a
Semiconductors
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchant Solutions
Systems
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
8%-12% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
62 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

Global Payments Inc. strengths

Ecosystem ComplementsScale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsSwitching Costs GeneralCompliance Advantage

Lam Research Corporation strengths

Design In QualificationCapex Knowhow ScaleLearning Curve YieldInstalled Base ConsumablesService Field Network

Segment mix

Global Payments Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchant Solutions

Competitive

76.1%

Issuer Solutions

Oligopoly

24.6%

Lam Research Corporation segments

Full profile >

Systems

Oligopoly

62.3%

Customer Support Business Group (CSBG)

Quasi-Monopoly

37.7%

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.