VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Thales S.A. vs Pool Corporation

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

Thales S.A.

HO · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)$51.4B
Gross margin (TTM)26.1%
Operating margin (TTM)9%
Net margin (TTM)5.1%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAerospace & Defense
CountryFR
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
73/ 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 Thales S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HO analysis

Pool Corporation

POOL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$8.8B
Gross margin (TTM)29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)11.1%
Net margin (TTM)7.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
56/ 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 Pool Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View POOL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Thales S.A. leads (73 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Pool Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Thales S.A. has 3 segments (53.3% in Defence); Pool Corporation has 1 segment (100% in Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Thales S.A. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Pool Corporation has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

Thales S.A.

Defence

Market

Defense electronics, secure communications, and mission systems

Geography

Global

Customer

Government / defence ministries, armed forces, security forces

Role

Prime contractor and system integrator; OEM of defence electronics

Revenue share

53.3%

Pool Corporation

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Market

Wholesale distribution of swimming pool, irrigation/landscape, and related outdoor living products

Geography

North America (majority), with operations in Europe and Australia

Customer

Pool builders/remodelers, pool service/repair professionals, specialty pool retailers, irrigation/landscape contractors, commercial pool operators

Role

Distributor / wholesaler

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Thales S.A.
Pool Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
HO - Euronext Paris
POOL - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$51.4B
$8.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
26.1%
29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
9%
11.1%
Net margin (TTM)
5.1%
7.8%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Aerospace & Defense
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
FR
US
Primary segment
Defence
Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
73 / 100
56 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Thales S.A. strengths

Government Contracting RelationshipsLong Term ContractsDesign In QualificationRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkBrand TrustSuite BundlingCapex Knowhow Scale

Pool Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostScope EconomiesProcurement InertiaData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Thales S.A. segments

Full profile >

Defence

Oligopoly

53.3%

Aerospace

Oligopoly

26.6%

Cyber & Digital

Competitive

19.6%

Pool Corporation segments

Full profile >

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Competitive

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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.