VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC vs McDonald's Corporation

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

McDonald's Corporation

MCD · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$219.6B
Gross margin (TTM)57.4%
Operating margin (TTM)46.1%
Net margin (TTM)32%
SectorConsumer
IndustryRestaurants
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
80/ 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 McDonald's Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MCD analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: McDonald's Corporation leads (80 / 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)); McDonald's Corporation has 3 segments (48.7% in International Operated Markets).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: InterContinental Hotels Group PLC has 8 moat types across 3 domains; McDonald's Corporation has 5 across 2.

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%

McDonald's Corporation

International Operated Markets

Market

Quick-service restaurants and informal eating out (IEO)

Geography

International operated markets (e.g., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, U.K.)

Customer

Consumers (end customers) and franchisees (B2B system partners)

Role

Franchisor / restaurant operator

Revenue share

48.7%

Side-by-side metrics

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC
McDonald's Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
IHG - London Stock Exchange
MCD - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$18.8B
$219.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
57.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
46.1%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
32%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
n/a
Restaurants
HQ country
GB
US
Primary segment
Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)
International Operated Markets
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
57 / 100
80 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Network
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustLong Term ContractsDistribution Control

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC strengths

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

McDonald's Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityOperational Excellence

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%

McDonald's Corporation segments

Full profile >

U.S.

Competitive

41%

International Operated Markets

Competitive

48.7%

International Developmental Licensed Markets & Corporate

Competitive

10.3%

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.