VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Stock Comparison

The Hershey Company vs Yum China Holdings, Inc.

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

The Hershey Company

HSY · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$45B
Gross margin (TTM)33.3%
Operating margin (TTM)12.1%
Net margin (TTM)7.6%
SectorConsumer
IndustryFood Confectioners
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
75/ 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 Hershey Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HSY analysis

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

YUMC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$18.9B
Gross margin (TTM)17.3%
Operating margin (TTM)11.4%
Net margin (TTM)7.9%
SectorConsumer
IndustryRestaurants
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
75/ 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 Yum China Holdings, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View YUMC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score: both at 75 / 100.
  • Segment focus: The Hershey Company has 3 segments (81.4% in North America Confectionery); Yum China Holdings, Inc. has 3 segments (75.3% in KFC).
  • Moat breadth: The Hershey Company has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Yum China Holdings, Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

The Hershey Company

North America Confectionery

Market

Branded chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery

Geography

United States and Canada

Customer

Retail consumers via grocery, mass, club and convenience

Role

Branded manufacturer and marketer

Revenue share

81.4%

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

KFC

Market

Quick-service restaurants (QSR), chicken-focused, in China

Geography

China

Customer

Consumers (end-users) via dine-in, takeaway and delivery

Role

Brand owner/operator (company-owned + franchised restaurants)

Revenue share

75.3%

Side-by-side metrics

The Hershey Company
Yum China Holdings, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
HSY - New York Stock Exchange
YUMC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$45B
$18.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
33.3%
17.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
12.1%
11.4%
Net margin (TTM)
7.6%
7.9%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Food Confectioners
Restaurants
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
North America Confectionery
KFC
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
34%-38% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
75 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-26
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

The Hershey Company strengths

Distribution Control

Yum China Holdings, Inc. strengths

Contractual ExclusivityPhysical Network DensitySupply Chain ControlHabit Default

Segment mix

The Hershey Company segments

Full profile >

North America Confectionery

Oligopoly

81.4%

North America Salty Snacks

Oligopoly

10.1%

International

Competitive

8.5%

Yum China Holdings, Inc. segments

Full profile >

KFC

Oligopoly

75.3%

Pizza Hut

Competitive

20%

All Other Segments (Emerging brands, delivery & e-commerce)

Competitive

1.6%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.