VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Mastercard Incorporated vs Tesla, Inc.

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)$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

Tesla, Inc.

TSLA · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$1.5T
Gross margin (TTM)17%
Operating margin (TTM)4.7%
Net margin (TTM)5.5%
SectorConsumer
IndustryAuto - Manufacturers
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
75/ 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 Tesla, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View TSLA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Mastercard Incorporated leads (77 / 100 vs 75 / 100 for Tesla, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Mastercard Incorporated has 2 segments (61.5% in Payment Network); Tesla, Inc. has 3 segments (78.9% in Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Mastercard Incorporated has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Tesla, Inc. has 9 across 3.

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%

Tesla, Inc.

Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)

Market

Battery-electric passenger vehicles (BEV) and connected vehicle software

Geography

United States (market share datapoint); global competition

Customer

Consumers and small fleets

Role

OEM (design, manufacture, direct-to-consumer sales)

Revenue share

78.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Mastercard Incorporated
Tesla, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
MA - New York Stock Exchange
TSLA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$510.6B
$1.5T
Gross margin (TTM)
77.5%
17%
Operating margin (TTM)
57%
4.7%
Net margin (TTM)
45.3%
5.5%
Sector
Financials
Consumer
Industry
Financial - Credit Services
Auto - Manufacturers
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Payment Network
Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
29.7% (reported)
56.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
77 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Legal
Network, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustData Network EffectsData Workflow Lockin

Mastercard Incorporated strengths

Two Sided NetworkClearing SettlementRegulated Standards Pipe

Tesla, Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScalePhysical Network DensityService Field NetworkSwitching Costs GeneralScope EconomiesScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Mastercard Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Payment Network

Oligopoly

61.5%

Value-Added Services and Solutions

Competitive

38.5%

Tesla, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Automotive (vehicles + software + leasing + regulatory credits)

Competitive

78.9%

Services and Other (Supercharging + after-sales + used vehicles + insurance)

Quasi-Monopoly

10.8%

Energy Generation and Storage (Megapack + Powerwall + solar)

Oligopoly

10.3%

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.