VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC vs Marriott International, Inc.

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

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

IHG · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorConsumer
Industry
CountryGB
Data as of2026-01-10
Moat score
57/ 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 InterContinental Hotels Group PLC's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View IHG analysis

Marriott International, Inc.

MAR · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$88.1B
Gross margin (TTM)21.7%
Operating margin (TTM)15.9%
Net margin (TTM)10.1%
SectorConsumer
IndustryTravel Lodging
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 Marriott International, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MAR analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Marriott International, Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for InterContinental Hotels Group PLC).
  • Segment focus: InterContinental Hotels Group PLC has 5 segments (36% in Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)); Marriott International, Inc. has 2 segments.
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: InterContinental Hotels Group PLC has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Marriott International, Inc. has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)

Market

Branded hotel franchising and management services

Geography

Global

Customer

Hotel owners and developers

Role

Franchisor and hotel manager (asset-light brand platform)

Revenue share

36%

Marriott International, Inc.

U.S. & Canada Lodging Platform

Market

Branded hotel franchising & management platform (including loyalty and reservation systems)

Geography

U.S. & Canada

Customer

Two-sided: travelers (guests) and hotel owners (franchisees/owners of managed properties)

Role

Brand owner / franchisor / manager; operator of reservation, loyalty, and marketing systems

Side-by-side metrics

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC
Marriott International, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
IHG - London Stock Exchange
MAR - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$18.8B
$88.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
21.7%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
15.9%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
10.1%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
n/a
Travel Lodging
HQ country
GB
US
Primary segment
Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)
U.S. & Canada Lodging Platform
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
16%-18% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
57 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Network
Demand, Network, Supply
Last update
2026-01-10
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustLong Term ContractsTwo Sided NetworkDistribution Control

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostPass-through reimbursement revenueAsset-heavy hotel operations (limited moat)Immaterial ancillary activity

Marriott International, Inc. strengths

No unique moat types yet.

Segment mix

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC segments

Full profile >

Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)

Oligopoly

36%

System Fund (marketing, reservations and loyalty assessments)

Monopoly

32.7%

Reimbursable revenues (managed hotel staff reimbursements)

Competitive

20.3%

Owned, leased and managed lease hotels

Competitive

10.5%

Insurance activities (ancillary)

Competitive

0.5%

Marriott International, Inc. segments

Full profile >

U.S. & Canada Lodging Platform

Competitive

n/a

International Lodging Platform

Competitive

n/a

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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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.