VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Global Payments Inc. vs Pool 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

Pool Corporation

POOL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$9.4B
Gross margin (TTM)29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)11.1%
Net margin (TTM)7.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
56/ 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 Pool Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View POOL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Global Payments Inc. leads (62 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Pool Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Global Payments Inc. has 2 segments (76.1% in Merchant Solutions); Pool Corporation has 1 segment (100% in Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Global Payments Inc. has 6 moat types across 4 domains; Pool Corporation has 5 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%

Pool Corporation

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Market

Wholesale distribution of swimming pool, irrigation/landscape, and related outdoor living products

Geography

North America (majority), with operations in Europe and Australia

Customer

Pool builders/remodelers, pool service/repair professionals, specialty pool retailers, irrigation/landscape contractors, commercial pool operators

Role

Distributor / wholesaler

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Global Payments Inc.
Pool Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
GPN - New York Stock Exchange
POOL - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$18.8B
$9.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
11.1%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
7.8%
Sector
Financials
Industrials
Industry
n/a
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchant Solutions
Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
62 / 100
56 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-10
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinScale Economies Unit Cost

Global Payments Inc. strengths

Ecosystem ComplementsLong Term ContractsSwitching Costs GeneralCompliance Advantage

Pool Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityScope EconomiesProcurement Inertia

Segment mix

Global Payments Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchant Solutions

Competitive

76.1%

Issuer Solutions

Oligopoly

24.6%

Pool Corporation segments

Full profile >

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Competitive

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.