VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Global Payments Inc. vs The Trade Desk, 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

The Trade Desk, Inc.

TTD · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$18.3B
Gross margin (TTM)78.8%
Operating margin (TTM)18.9%
Net margin (TTM)15.7%
SectorCommunication Services
IndustrySoftware - Application
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
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 The Trade Desk, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View TTD analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score: both at 62 / 100.
  • Segment focus: Global Payments Inc. has 2 segments (76.1% in Merchant Solutions); The Trade Desk, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Advertising Technology Platform (DSP)).
  • Moat breadth: Global Payments Inc. has 6 moat types across 4 domains; The Trade Desk, Inc. has 4 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%

The Trade Desk, Inc.

Advertising Technology Platform (DSP)

Market

Demand-side platforms (DSP) for programmatic advertising (open internet)

Geography

Global

Customer

Advertising agencies and advertisers

Role

Buy-side platform / demand aggregation

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Global Payments Inc.
The Trade Desk, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
GPN - New York Stock Exchange
TTD - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$18.8B
$18.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
78.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
18.9%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
15.7%
Sector
Financials
Communication Services
Industry
n/a
Software - Application
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchant Solutions
Advertising Technology Platform (DSP)
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
6%-10% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
62 / 100
62 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply, Legal
Network, Demand
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

Global Payments Inc. strengths

Ecosystem ComplementsData Workflow LockinScale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsCompliance Advantage

The Trade Desk, Inc. strengths

Interoperability HubData Network EffectsStandards Registry

Segment mix

Global Payments Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchant Solutions

Competitive

76.1%

Issuer Solutions

Oligopoly

24.6%

The Trade Desk, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Advertising Technology Platform (DSP)

Competitive

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

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.