VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Stock Comparison

Mastercard Incorporated vs Moody's Corporation

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

Mastercard Incorporated

MA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$469.8B
Gross margin (TTM)83.4%
Operating margin (TTM)59.2%
Net margin (TTM)45.7%
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

Moody's Corporation

MCO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$80.3B
Gross margin (TTM)68.2%
Operating margin (TTM)44.5%
Net margin (TTM)31.9%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Data & Stock Exchanges
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
79/ 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 Moody's Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MCO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Moody's Corporation leads (79 / 100 vs 77 / 100 for Mastercard Incorporated).
  • Segment focus: Mastercard Incorporated has 2 segments (61.5% in Payment Network); Moody's Corporation has 2 segments (53.5% in Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Mastercard Incorporated has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Moody's Corporation has 5 across 4.

Primary market context

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%

Moody's Corporation

Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)

Market

Credit ratings and ratings-related research

Geography

Global

Customer

Issuers, investors, regulators

Role

Credit rating agency / research provider

Revenue share

53.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Mastercard Incorporated
Moody's Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
MA - New York Stock Exchange
MCO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$469.8B
$80.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
83.4%
68.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
59.2%
44.5%
Net margin (TTM)
45.7%
31.9%
Sector
Financials
Financials
Industry
Financial - Credit Services
Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Payment Network
Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
29.7% (reported)
29%-32% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
3,568
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
77 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Legal
Legal, Network, Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-21
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustRegulated Standards PipeData Workflow Lockin

Mastercard Incorporated strengths

Two Sided NetworkClearing SettlementData Network Effects

Moody's Corporation strengths

De Facto StandardScope Economies

Segment mix

Mastercard Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Payment Network

Oligopoly

61.5%

Value-Added Services and Solutions

Competitive

38.5%

Moody's Corporation segments

Full profile >

Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)

Oligopoly

53.5%

Moody's Analytics (Risk & Data/Software)

Competitive

46.5%

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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.