VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Sunday, January 11, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Global Payments Inc. vs Altria Group, Inc.

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

Altria Group, Inc.

MO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$96.6B
Gross margin (TTM)72%
Operating margin (TTM)55.2%
Net margin (TTM)44%
SectorConsumer
IndustryTobacco
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
88/ 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 Altria Group, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Altria Group, Inc. leads (88 / 100 vs 62 / 100 for Global Payments Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Global Payments Inc. has 2 segments (76.1% in Merchant Solutions); Altria Group, Inc. has 3 segments (88.3% in Smokeable Products).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Global Payments Inc. has 6 moat types across 4 domains; Altria Group, Inc. has 5 across 3.

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%

Altria Group, Inc.

Smokeable Products

Market

U.S. cigarettes and machine-made cigars

Geography

United States

Customer

Wholesalers/distributors and large retail organizations (serving adult tobacco consumers 21+)

Role

Manufacturer and brand owner

Revenue share

88.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Global Payments Inc.
Altria Group, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
GPN - New York Stock Exchange
MO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$18.8B
$96.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
72%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
55.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
44%
Sector
Financials
Consumer
Industry
n/a
Tobacco
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchant Solutions
Smokeable Products
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
45.9% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
62 / 100
88 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Financial, Legal
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Compliance Advantage

Global Payments Inc. strengths

Ecosystem ComplementsData Workflow LockinScale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsSwitching Costs General

Altria Group, Inc. strengths

Brand TrustHabit DefaultBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards Pipe

Segment mix

Global Payments Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchant Solutions

Competitive

76.1%

Issuer Solutions

Oligopoly

24.6%

Altria Group, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Smokeable Products

Oligopoly

88.3%

Oral Tobacco Products

Oligopoly

11.6%

E-Vapor and New Products (NJOY, Horizon, R&D)

Competitive

0.2%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.