VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

HCA Healthcare, Inc. vs Lowe's Companies, Inc.

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

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

HCA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$107.7B
Gross margin (TTM)15.6%
Operating margin (TTM)15.6%
Net margin (TTM)8.6%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Care Facilities
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
67/ 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 HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HCA analysis

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

LOW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$149.9B
Gross margin (TTM)31.4%
Operating margin (TTM)12.1%
Net margin (TTM)8.1%
SectorConsumer
IndustryHome Improvement
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
48/ 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 Lowe's Companies, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LOW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: HCA Healthcare, Inc. leads (67 / 100 vs 48 / 100 for Lowe's Companies, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Hospitals and related healthcare entities); Lowe's Companies, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Lowe's Companies, Inc. has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

Hospitals and related healthcare entities

Market

Acute care hospitals and outpatient healthcare services

Geography

United States (multi-state) and England (United Kingdom)

Customer

Patients and third-party payers

Role

Provider operator

Revenue share

100%

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)

Market

U.S. home improvement retail and related services (DIY and Pro; omnichannel)

Geography

United States

Customer

DIY consumers and small-to-medium professional contractors

Role

Omnichannel retailer and distributor

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

HCA Healthcare, Inc.
Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
HCA - New York Stock Exchange
LOW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$107.7B
$149.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
15.6%
31.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
15.6%
12.1%
Net margin (TTM)
8.6%
8.1%
Sector
Healthcare
Consumer
Industry
Medical - Care Facilities
Home Improvement
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Hospitals and related healthcare entities
Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
67 / 100
48 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scope EconomiesPhysical Network Density

HCA Healthcare, Inc. strengths

Permits Rights Of WaySwitching Costs General

Lowe's Companies, Inc. strengths

Supply Chain ControlOperational ExcellenceHabit Default

Segment mix

HCA Healthcare, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Hospitals and related healthcare entities

Oligopoly

100%

Lowe's Companies, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)

Competitive

100%

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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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.