VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Saturday, January 10, 2026

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Stock Comparison

James Hardie Industries plc vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

James Hardie Industries plc

JHX · ASX

Market cap (USD)$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)36.3%
Operating margin (TTM)13.6%
Net margin (TTM)4.7%
SectorMaterials
IndustryConstruction Materials
CountryIE
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
74/ 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 James Hardie Industries plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View JHX analysis

Ulta Beauty, Inc.

ULTA · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)13.2%
Net margin (TTM)9.9%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
58/ 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 Ulta Beauty, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ULTA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: James Hardie Industries plc leads (74 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: James Hardie Industries plc has 4 segments (64.2% in Siding & Trim); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: James Hardie Industries plc has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

James Hardie Industries plc

Siding & Trim

Market

North American fiber cement exterior siding & trim (plus related exterior products)

Geography

North America (primarily U.S. and Canada)

Customer

Homebuilders, contractors, remodelers, dealers/distributors, and retailers

Role

Manufacturer / branded building-products supplier

Revenue share

64.2%

Ulta Beauty, Inc.

Beauty Products Retail

Market

U.S. beauty products retail (specialty omnichannel beauty retailer)

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers (end-users) shopping in-store and online

Role

Specialty retailer / distributor

Revenue share

94%

Side-by-side metrics

James Hardie Industries plc
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
JHX - ASX
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$18.8B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
36.3%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
13.6%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
4.7%
9.9%
Sector
Materials
Consumer
Industry
Construction Materials
Specialty Retail
HQ country
IE
US
Primary segment
Siding & Trim
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Competitive
Market share
88%-92% (estimated)
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

James Hardie Industries plc strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleBrand TrustLong Term ContractsOperational ExcellenceDistribution Control

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralPhysical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

James Hardie Industries plc segments

Full profile >

Siding & Trim

Quasi-Monopoly

64.2%

Deck, Rail & Accessories

Oligopoly

11.7%

Australia & New Zealand

Oligopoly

11.6%

Europe

Competitive

12.5%

Ulta Beauty, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Beauty Products Retail

Competitive

94%

Beauty Services

Competitive

4%

Platform Monetization (Retail Media, Credit Cards, Partner Royalties, Deferred Revenue)

Competitive

2%

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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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.