VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Thursday, January 8, 2026

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Stock Comparison

KKR & Co. Inc. vs Mastercard Incorporated

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

KKR & Co. Inc.

KKR · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$119.9B
Gross margin (TTM)19.5%
Operating margin (TTM)2.6%
Net margin (TTM)14.1%
SectorFinancials
IndustryAsset Management
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
67/ 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 KKR & Co. Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View KKR analysis

Mastercard Incorporated

MA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$510.6B
Gross margin (TTM)77.5%
Operating margin (TTM)57%
Net margin (TTM)45.3%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Credit Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
77/ 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 Mastercard Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Mastercard Incorporated leads (77 / 100 vs 67 / 100 for KKR & Co. Inc.).
  • Segment focus: KKR & Co. Inc. has 3 segments (52.3% in Asset Management); Mastercard Incorporated has 2 segments (61.5% in Payment Network).
  • Moat breadth: KKR & Co. Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Mastercard Incorporated has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

KKR & Co. Inc.

Asset Management

Market

Alternative asset management (private equity, private credit, real assets, and related strategies)

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional and wealth investors (LPs) allocating to private markets

Role

General partner / investment manager

Revenue share

52.3%

Mastercard Incorporated

Payment Network

Market

Four-party card payment network (switching, acceptance, and network-related services)

Geography

Global

Customer

Issuers, acquirers, merchants, account holders

Role

Network operator (authorization, clearing, settlement) and rules/standards steward

Revenue share

61.5%

Side-by-side metrics

KKR & Co. Inc.
Mastercard Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
KKR - New York Stock Exchange
MA - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$119.9B
$510.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
19.5%
77.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
2.6%
57%
Net margin (TTM)
14.1%
45.3%
Sector
Financials
Financials
Industry
Asset Management
Financial - Credit Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Asset Management
Payment Network
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
3.5%-5% (implied)
29.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
67 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Financial, Legal
Network, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

KKR & Co. Inc. strengths

Long Term ContractsScale Economies Unit CostDeal sourcing and origination relationshipsFloat PrepaymentCompliance AdvantageCapital markets and exit execution capability

Mastercard Incorporated strengths

Two Sided NetworkClearing SettlementRegulated Standards PipeData Network EffectsData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

KKR & Co. Inc. segments

Full profile >

Asset Management

Oligopoly

52.3%

Insurance

Competitive

46.5%

Strategic Holdings

Competitive

1.2%

Mastercard Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Payment Network

Oligopoly

61.5%

Value-Added Services and Solutions

Competitive

38.5%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.