VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. vs Mastercard Incorporated

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

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.

HLT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$66.8B
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
72/ 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 Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HLT analysis

Mastercard Incorporated

MA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$516.9B
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
77/ 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 Mastercard Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Mastercard Incorporated leads (77 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. has 2 segments (72.7% in Management and Franchise); Mastercard Incorporated has 2 segments (61.5% in Payment Network).
  • Moat breadth: Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Mastercard Incorporated has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.

Management and Franchise

Market

Hotel management, franchising and brand licensing

Geography

Global

Customer

Third-party hotel owners / franchisees and strategic partners

Role

Franchisor / manager / IP licensor

Revenue share

72.7%

Mastercard Incorporated

Payment Network

Market

Four-party card payment network (switching, acceptance, and network-related services)

Geography

Global

Customer

Issuers, acquirers, merchants, account holders

Role

Network operator (authorization, clearing, settlement) and rules/standards steward

Revenue share

61.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.
Mastercard Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
HLT - New York Stock Exchange
MA - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$66.8B
$516.9B
Sector
Consumer
Financials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Management and Franchise
Payment Network
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
13%-15% (implied)
29.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
1,350
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
72 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply
Network, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Two Sided NetworkBrand Trust

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. strengths

Long Term ContractsScale Economies Unit CostEcosystem Complements

Mastercard Incorporated strengths

Clearing SettlementRegulated Standards PipeData Network EffectsData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. segments

Full profile >

Management and Franchise

Oligopoly

72.7%

Ownership

Competitive

27.3%

Mastercard Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Payment Network

Oligopoly

61.5%

Value-Added Services and Solutions

Competitive

38.5%

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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.