VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. vs Waters Corporation

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

Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.

JKHY · Nasdaq

Market cap (USD)$13.8B
Gross margin (TTM)43.5%
Operating margin (TTM)24.9%
Net margin (TTM)19.9%
SectorTechnology
IndustryInformation Technology Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-25
Moat score
59/ 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 Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View JKHY analysis

Waters Corporation

WAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
66/ 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 Waters Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WAT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Waters Corporation leads (66 / 100 vs 59 / 100 for Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. has 3 segments (36.8% in Payments); Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.

Primary market context

Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.

Payments

Market

Payment processing and transaction services for financial institutions (card, ACH, bill pay, faster payments, settlement support)

Geography

United States

Customer

Banks, credit unions, and their accountholders; businesses via FI clients

Role

Processor and settlement/risk services provider

Revenue share

36.8%

Waters Corporation

Waters instrument systems

Market

Liquid chromatography (LC/UPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analytical instrument systems (including LC-MS workflows and instrument control/data system software)

Geography

Global

Customer

Pharma/biotech, industrial, academic and government laboratories

Role

OEM + software/platform provider

Revenue share

34.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
JKHY - Nasdaq
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$13.8B
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
43.5%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
24.9%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
19.9%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Healthcare
Industry
Information Technology Services
n/a
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Payments
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
59 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-25
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term ContractsData Workflow LockinBrand Trust

Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralSuite BundlingCompliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit Cost

Waters Corporation strengths

Design In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesSupply Chain ControlService Field Network

Segment mix

Jack Henry & Associates, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core

Oligopoly

31.1%

Payments

Competitive

36.8%

Complementary

Competitive

28.4%

Waters Corporation segments

Full profile >

Waters instrument systems

Oligopoly

34.9%

Chemistry consumables

Competitive

19.1%

Waters service & software maintenance

Competitive

34%

TA instrument systems & service

Oligopoly

12%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.