VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Global Payments Inc. vs The Charles Schwab 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

The Charles Schwab Corporation

SCHW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$182.2B
Gross margin (TTM)84.4%
Operating margin (TTM)39%
Net margin (TTM)30.3%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Capital Markets
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
74/ 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 The Charles Schwab Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SCHW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Charles Schwab Corporation leads (74 / 100 vs 62 / 100 for Global Payments Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Global Payments Inc. has 2 segments (76.1% in Merchant Solutions); The Charles Schwab Corporation has 2 segments (79.4% in Investor Services).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Global Payments Inc. has 6 moat types across 4 domains; The Charles Schwab Corporation has 7 across 4.

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%

The Charles Schwab Corporation

Investor Services

Market

U.S. retail brokerage, self-directed investing, and wealth management platforms

Geography

United States

Customer

Retail investors, employers, retirement plan sponsors

Role

Broker-dealer + bank + wealth manager platform

Revenue share

79.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Global Payments Inc.
The Charles Schwab Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
GPN - New York Stock Exchange
SCHW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$18.8B
$182.2B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
84.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
39%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
30.3%
Sector
Financials
Financials
Industry
n/a
Financial - Capital Markets
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchant Solutions
Investor Services
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
62 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand, Financial, Network
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Ecosystem ComplementsData Workflow LockinScale Economies Unit Cost

Global Payments Inc. strengths

Long Term ContractsSwitching Costs GeneralCompliance Advantage

The Charles Schwab Corporation strengths

Suite BundlingBrand TrustFloat PrepaymentService Field Network

Segment mix

Global Payments Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchant Solutions

Competitive

76.1%

Issuer Solutions

Oligopoly

24.6%

The Charles Schwab Corporation segments

Full profile >

Investor Services

Oligopoly

79.4%

Advisor Services

Oligopoly

20.6%

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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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.