VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Masco Corporation vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

Masco Corporation

MAS · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)35.7%
Operating margin (TTM)17%
Net margin (TTM)10.9%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryConstruction
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
72/ 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 Masco Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MAS analysis

Ulta Beauty, Inc.

ULTA · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)13.2%
Net margin (TTM)9.9%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
58/ 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 Ulta Beauty, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ULTA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Masco Corporation leads (72 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Masco Corporation has 2 segments (62% in Plumbing Products); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Masco Corporation has 3 moat types across 3 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

Masco Corporation

Plumbing Products

Market

Residential plumbing fixtures and fittings (faucets, showers, valves, bath hardware, sinks) and plumbing components

Geography

North America and Europe

Customer

Home center retailers, wholesalers/distributors and online retailers; end users include plumbers, contractors, remodelers, homebuilders and consumers

Role

Branded manufacturer

Revenue share

62%

Ulta Beauty, Inc.

Beauty Products Retail

Market

U.S. beauty products retail (specialty omnichannel beauty retailer)

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers (end-users) shopping in-store and online

Role

Specialty retailer / distributor

Revenue share

94%

Side-by-side metrics

Masco Corporation
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
MAS - New York Stock Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$14.4B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
35.7%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
17%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
10.9%
9.9%
Sector
Industrials
Consumer
Industry
Construction
Specialty Retail
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Plumbing Products
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
72 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-26
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Contractual Exclusivity

Masco Corporation strengths

Brand TrustScope Economies

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralPhysical Network DensityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Masco Corporation segments

Full profile >

Plumbing Products

Oligopoly

62%

Decorative Architectural Products

Oligopoly

38%

Ulta Beauty, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Beauty Products Retail

Competitive

94%

Beauty Services

Competitive

4%

Platform Monetization (Retail Media, Credit Cards, Partner Royalties, Deferred Revenue)

Competitive

2%

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.