VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Lowe's Companies, Inc. vs The Charles Schwab Corporation

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

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

LOW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$149.9B
Gross margin (TTM)31.4%
Operating margin (TTM)12.1%
Net margin (TTM)8.1%
SectorConsumer
IndustryHome Improvement
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
48/ 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 Lowe's Companies, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LOW analysis

The Charles Schwab Corporation

SCHW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$182.2B
Gross margin (TTM)84.4%
Operating margin (TTM)39%
Net margin (TTM)30.3%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Capital Markets
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
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 The Charles Schwab Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SCHW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Charles Schwab Corporation leads (74 / 100 vs 48 / 100 for Lowe's Companies, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Lowe's Companies, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)); The Charles Schwab Corporation has 2 segments (79.4% in Investor Services).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Lowe's Companies, Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; The Charles Schwab Corporation has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)

Market

U.S. home improvement retail and related services (DIY and Pro; omnichannel)

Geography

United States

Customer

DIY consumers and small-to-medium professional contractors

Role

Omnichannel retailer and distributor

Revenue share

100%

The Charles Schwab Corporation

Investor Services

Market

U.S. retail brokerage, self-directed investing, and wealth management platforms

Geography

United States

Customer

Retail investors, employers, retirement plan sponsors

Role

Broker-dealer + bank + wealth manager platform

Revenue share

79.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Lowe's Companies, Inc.
The Charles Schwab Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
LOW - New York Stock Exchange
SCHW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$149.9B
$182.2B
Gross margin (TTM)
31.4%
84.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
12.1%
39%
Net margin (TTM)
8.1%
30.3%
Sector
Consumer
Financials
Industry
Home Improvement
Financial - Capital Markets
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)
Investor Services
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Weak
Moat score
48 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Supply, Demand, Financial, Network
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Lowe's Companies, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensitySupply Chain ControlOperational ExcellenceScope EconomiesHabit Default

The Charles Schwab Corporation strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostSuite BundlingBrand TrustFloat PrepaymentData Workflow LockinEcosystem ComplementsService Field Network

Segment mix

Lowe's Companies, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)

Competitive

100%

The Charles Schwab Corporation segments

Full profile >

Investor Services

Oligopoly

79.4%

Advisor Services

Oligopoly

20.6%

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.