VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

The Home Depot, Inc. vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

The Home Depot, Inc.

HD · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$372.7B
Gross margin (TTM)33.4%
Operating margin (TTM)13%
Net margin (TTM)8.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustryHome Improvement
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
69/ 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 Home Depot, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HD analysis

Ulta Beauty, Inc.

ULTA · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)13.2%
Net margin (TTM)9.9%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
58/ 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 Ulta Beauty, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ULTA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Home Depot, Inc. leads (69 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: The Home Depot, Inc. has 2 segments (96% in Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: The Home Depot, Inc. has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

The Home Depot, Inc.

Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)

Market

Home improvement retail (omnichannel)

Geography

North America (US, Canada, Mexico)

Customer

DIY homeowners and professional contractors

Role

Retailer

Revenue share

96%

Ulta Beauty, Inc.

Beauty Products Retail

Market

U.S. beauty products retail (specialty omnichannel beauty retailer)

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers (end-users) shopping in-store and online

Role

Specialty retailer / distributor

Revenue share

94%

Side-by-side metrics

The Home Depot, Inc.
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
HD - New York Stock Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$372.7B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
33.4%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
13%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
8.8%
9.9%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Home Improvement
Specialty Retail
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
69 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network Density

The Home Depot, Inc. strengths

Distribution ControlProcurement InertiaScale Economies Unit Cost

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

The Home Depot, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)

Competitive

96%

Other - Specialty trade distribution (SRS: roofing, landscape, pool)

Competitive

4%

Ulta Beauty, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Beauty Products Retail

Competitive

94%

Beauty Services

Competitive

4%

Platform Monetization (Retail Media, Credit Cards, Partner Royalties, Deferred Revenue)

Competitive

2%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.