VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

The Home Depot, Inc. vs Waste Management, 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)$345.9B
SectorConsumer
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

Waste Management, Inc.

WM · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
79/ 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 Waste Management, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WM analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Waste Management, Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 69 / 100 for The Home Depot, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: The Home Depot, Inc. has 2 segments (96% in Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)); Waste Management, Inc. has 4 segments (82.2% in Collection and Disposal).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: The Home Depot, Inc. has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Waste Management, Inc. has 7 across 3.

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%

Waste Management, Inc.

Collection and Disposal

Market

Municipal, commercial, and industrial solid waste collection, transfer, and landfill disposal

Geography

North America (primarily US and Canada)

Customer

Municipalities and end-customers (residential, commercial, industrial) via direct and contract channels

Role

Integrated hauler + transfer + landfill owner/operator

Revenue share

82.2%

Side-by-side metrics

The Home Depot, Inc.
Waste Management, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
HD - New York Stock Exchange
WM - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$345.9B
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Primary segment - North American home improvement retail (stores + online)
Collection and Disposal
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Strong
Moat score
69 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network Density

The Home Depot, Inc. strengths

Distribution ControlProcurement InertiaScale Economies Unit Cost

Waste Management, Inc. strengths

Permits Rights Of WayCapacity MoatPricing power via yield management and contracted rate actionsOperational ExcellencePreferential Input AccessRegulated Standards Pipe

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%

Waste Management, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Collection and Disposal

Oligopoly

82.2%

Recycling Processing and Sales

Competitive

6%

WM Renewable Energy

Competitive

1.7%

WM Healthcare Solutions

Oligopoly

10%

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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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.