VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Moody's Corporation vs Watsco, Inc.

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

Moody's Corporation

MCO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$94.7B
Gross margin (TTM)67.5%
Operating margin (TTM)43.5%
Net margin (TTM)29.9%
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

Watsco, Inc.

WSO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)10.2%
Net margin (TTM)7.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
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 Watsco, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WSO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Moody's Corporation leads (79 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Watsco, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Moody's Corporation has 2 segments (53.5% in Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)); Watsco, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in HVAC/R Distribution).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Moody's Corporation has 5 moat types across 4 domains; Watsco, Inc. has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

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%

Watsco, Inc.

HVAC/R Distribution

Market

HVAC/R equipment, parts and supplies distribution

Geography

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico; export to Latin America/Caribbean)

Customer

Licensed HVAC and refrigeration contractors (residential & commercial)

Role

Wholesale distributor

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Moody's Corporation
Watsco, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
MCO - New York Stock Exchange
WSO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$94.7B
$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
67.5%
28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
43.5%
10.2%
Net margin (TTM)
29.9%
7.4%
Sector
Financials
Industrials
Industry
Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)
HVAC/R Distribution
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
29%-32% (estimated)
9%-12% (implied)
HHI estimate
3,568
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
79 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Network, Demand, Supply
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

Moody's Corporation strengths

Regulated Standards PipeDe Facto StandardBrand TrustScope Economies

Watsco, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Moody's Corporation segments

Full profile >

Moody's Investors Service (Credit Ratings)

Oligopoly

53.5%

Moody's Analytics (Risk & Data/Software)

Competitive

46.5%

Watsco, Inc. segments

Full profile >

HVAC/R Distribution

Competitive

100%

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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.