VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

MercadoLibre, Inc. vs Watsco, Inc.

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

MercadoLibre, Inc.

MELI · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$108.9B
Gross margin (TTM)45.1%
Operating margin (TTM)12%
Net margin (TTM)7.9%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
73/ 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 MercadoLibre, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MELI 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: MercadoLibre, Inc. leads (73 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Watsco, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: MercadoLibre, Inc. has 2 segments (58.5% in Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)); Watsco, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in HVAC/R Distribution).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: MercadoLibre, Inc. has 6 moat types across 4 domains; Watsco, Inc. has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

MercadoLibre, Inc.

Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)

Market

Latin American e-commerce marketplace and commerce services (online marketplace, 1P retail, fulfillment/logistics, advertising)

Geography

Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and other countries)

Customer

Consumers (buyers) and merchants/brands (sellers), including MSMEs

Role

Marketplace operator + retailer + logistics orchestrator

Revenue share

58.5%

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

MercadoLibre, Inc.
Watsco, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
MELI - NASDAQ
WSO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$108.9B
$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
45.1%
28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
12%
10.2%
Net margin (TTM)
7.9%
7.4%
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
Specialty Retail
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)
HVAC/R Distribution
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
9%-12% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
73 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

MercadoLibre, Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkEcosystem ComplementsDistribution ControlSwitching Costs GeneralCompliance Advantage

Watsco, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

MercadoLibre, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)

Oligopoly

58.5%

Fintech (Mercado Pago & credit)

Competitive

41.5%

Watsco, Inc. segments

Full profile >

HVAC/R Distribution

Competitive

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

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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.