VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Mondelez International, Inc. vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

Mondelez International, Inc.

MDLZ · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$71.1B
Gross margin (TTM)31.1%
Operating margin (TTM)11.2%
Net margin (TTM)9.4%
SectorConsumer
IndustryFood Confectioners
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-23
Moat score
66/ 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 Mondelez International, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MDLZ 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: Mondelez International, Inc. leads (66 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Mondelez International, Inc. has 5 segments (48.9% in Biscuits & Baked Snacks); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Mondelez International, Inc. has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

Mondelez International, Inc.

Biscuits & Baked Snacks

Market

Branded biscuits, cookies, crackers and baked snacks

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumer (via retail and e-commerce)

Role

Branded manufacturer

Revenue share

48.9%

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

Mondelez International, Inc.
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
MDLZ - Nasdaq Global Select Market
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$71.1B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
31.1%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
11.2%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
9.4%
9.9%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Food Confectioners
Specialty Retail
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Biscuits & Baked Snacks
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
66 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-23
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Mondelez International, Inc. strengths

Brand TrustDistribution ControlIP Choke PointSupply Chain Control

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralPhysical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Mondelez International, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Biscuits & Baked Snacks

Oligopoly

48.9%

Chocolate

Oligopoly

30.9%

Gum & Candy

Oligopoly

11.1%

Beverages

Competitive

3%

Cheese & Grocery

Competitive

6.2%

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.