VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Monster Beverage Corporation vs Starbucks Corporation

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

Monster Beverage Corporation

MNST · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$65.7B
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
76/ 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 Monster Beverage Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MNST analysis

Starbucks Corporation

SBUX · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$96.7B
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
70/ 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 Starbucks Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SBUX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Monster Beverage Corporation leads (76 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Starbucks Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Monster Beverage Corporation has 4 segments (91.6% in Monster Energy Drinks); Starbucks Corporation has 3 segments (73.6% in North America).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Monster Beverage Corporation has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Starbucks Corporation has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

Monster Beverage Corporation

Monster Energy Drinks

Market

Energy drinks

Geography

Global

Customer

Retail consumers (via bottlers/distributors and retailers); some direct-to-retail

Role

Brand owner, marketer, and RTD finished-goods seller

Revenue share

91.6%

Starbucks Corporation

North America

Market

Branded coffeehouse retail (company-operated + licensed)

Geography

U.S. and Canada

Customer

Consumers

Role

Retailer / brand owner

Revenue share

73.6%

Side-by-side metrics

Monster Beverage Corporation
Starbucks Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
MNST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
SBUX - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$65.7B
$96.7B
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Monster Energy Drinks
North America
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
33%-35% (reported)
35%-40% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-31
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustPreferential Input AccessContractual Exclusivity

Monster Beverage Corporation strengths

Distribution ControlSpecialty flavor formulations (AFF)

Starbucks Corporation strengths

Habit DefaultPhysical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

Segment mix

Monster Beverage Corporation segments

Full profile >

Monster Energy Drinks

Oligopoly

91.6%

Strategic Brands

Oligopoly

5.8%

Alcohol Brands

Competitive

2.3%

Other (AFF Third-Party Products)

Competitive

0.3%

Starbucks Corporation segments

Full profile >

North America

Competitive

73.6%

International

Competitive

21%

Channel Development

Oligopoly

5%

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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.