VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC vs West Pharmaceutical Services, 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

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.

WST · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$19.8B
Gross margin (TTM)35.6%
Operating margin (TTM)20.9%
Net margin (TTM)16.3%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Instruments & Supplies
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
Moat score
85/ 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 West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WST analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. leads (85 / 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)); West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. has 2 segments (80.7% in Proprietary Products).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: InterContinental Hotels Group PLC has 8 moat types across 3 domains; West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. has 5 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%

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.

Proprietary Products

Market

Injectable primary packaging components and containment/delivery systems (elastomeric stoppers, seals, plungers, syringe/cartridge components; related services)

Geography

Global

Customer

Biologic, generic, and pharmaceutical drug manufacturers

Role

Primary packaging and delivery component supplier

Revenue share

80.7%

Side-by-side metrics

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
IHG - London Stock Exchange
WST - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$18.8B
$19.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
35.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
20.9%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
16.3%
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
Industry
n/a
Medical - Instruments & Supplies
HQ country
GB
US
Primary segment
Fee business (franchise, management and ancillary fees)
Proprietary Products
Market structure
Oligopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
70%-75% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
57 / 100
85 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Network
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-10
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsTwo Sided NetworkDistribution ControlPass-through reimbursement revenueAsset-heavy hotel operations (limited moat)Immaterial ancillary activity

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationCompliance AdvantageCapex Knowhow ScaleOperational 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%

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Proprietary Products

Quasi-Monopoly

80.7%

Contract-Manufactured Products

Competitive

19.3%

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.