VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Lowe's Companies, Inc. vs Universal Music Group N.V.

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

Universal Music Group N.V.

UMG · Euronext Amsterdam

Market cap (USD)$40.7B
Gross margin (TTM)40.4%
Operating margin (TTM)10.4%
Net margin (TTM)17.5%
SectorCommunication Services
IndustryEntertainment
CountryNL
Data as of2025-12-28
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 Universal Music Group N.V.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View UMG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Universal Music Group N.V. leads (77 / 100 vs 48 / 100 for Lowe's Companies, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Lowe's Companies, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)); Universal Music Group N.V. has 3 segments (75.2% in Recorded Music).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Lowe's Companies, Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Universal Music Group N.V. has 5 across 3.

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%

Universal Music Group N.V.

Recorded Music

Market

Recorded music rights (labels) and monetization (streaming, physical, licensing/sync)

Geography

Global

Customer

Digital service providers (audio/video/social), physical retailers, and licensing counterparties

Role

Label / master rights holder; artist development, marketing and distribution

Revenue share

75.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Universal Music Group N.V.
Ticker / Exchange
LOW - New York Stock Exchange
UMG - Euronext Amsterdam
Market cap (USD)
$149.9B
$40.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
31.4%
40.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
12.1%
10.4%
Net margin (TTM)
8.1%
17.5%
Sector
Consumer
Communication Services
Industry
Home Improvement
Entertainment
HQ country
US
NL
Primary segment
Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)
Recorded Music
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
31%-33% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
48 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Lowe's Companies, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensitySupply Chain ControlOperational ExcellenceScope EconomiesHabit Default

Universal Music Group N.V. strengths

Content Rights CurrencyScale Economies Unit CostBrand TrustLong Term ContractsService Field Network

Segment mix

Lowe's Companies, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)

Competitive

100%

Universal Music Group N.V. segments

Full profile >

Recorded Music

Oligopoly

75.2%

Music Publishing

Oligopoly

17.9%

Merchandising and Other

Competitive

7.1%

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.