VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

MMC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$91.5B
Gross margin (TTM)42.3%
Operating margin (TTM)23.2%
Net margin (TTM)15.6%
SectorFinancials
IndustryInsurance - Brokers
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
65/ 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 Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MMC 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: Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. leads (65 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has 2 segments (62.8% in Risk and Insurance Services); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

Risk and Insurance Services

Market

Insurance brokerage, risk advisory, and reinsurance brokerage/services

Geography

Global

Customer

Enterprises, public entities, associations, and individuals (via broker/agent channels)

Role

Intermediary + advisor (insurance/reinsurance market intermediary)

Revenue share

62.8%

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

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
MMC - New York Stock Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$91.5B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
42.3%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
23.2%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
15.6%
9.9%
Sector
Financials
Consumer
Industry
Insurance - Brokers
Specialty Retail
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Risk and Insurance Services
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
65 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkBrand TrustCompliance AdvantageData Workflow Lockin

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Risk and Insurance Services

Oligopoly

62.8%

Consulting

Competitive

37.2%

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.

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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.