VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Northrop Grumman Corporation vs Pool Corporation

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

Northrop Grumman Corporation

NOC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$87.2B
Gross margin (TTM)19.4%
Operating margin (TTM)10.6%
Net margin (TTM)9.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAerospace & Defense
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
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 Northrop Grumman Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NOC analysis

Pool Corporation

POOL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$8.8B
Gross margin (TTM)29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)11.1%
Net margin (TTM)7.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
56/ 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 Pool Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View POOL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Northrop Grumman Corporation leads (72 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Pool Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Northrop Grumman Corporation has 4 segments (28.7% in Aeronautics Systems); Pool Corporation has 1 segment (100% in Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Northrop Grumman Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Pool Corporation has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Aeronautics Systems

Market

Military aircraft systems (manned & unmanned) plus sustainment/modernization

Geography

Global (primarily United States and allies)

Customer

U.S. government and allied governments

Role

Prime contractor and major subsystem supplier

Revenue share

28.7%

Pool Corporation

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Market

Wholesale distribution of swimming pool, irrigation/landscape, and related outdoor living products

Geography

North America (majority), with operations in Europe and Australia

Customer

Pool builders/remodelers, pool service/repair professionals, specialty pool retailers, irrigation/landscape contractors, commercial pool operators

Role

Distributor / wholesaler

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Northrop Grumman Corporation
Pool Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
NOC - New York Stock Exchange
POOL - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$87.2B
$8.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
19.4%
29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
10.6%
11.1%
Net margin (TTM)
9.8%
7.8%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Aerospace & Defense
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Aeronautics Systems
Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
72 / 100
56 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-26
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Northrop Grumman Corporation strengths

Government Contracting RelationshipsDesign In QualificationCompliance AdvantageCapacity MoatSwitching Costs GeneralCapex Knowhow Scale

Pool Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostScope EconomiesProcurement InertiaData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Northrop Grumman Corporation segments

Full profile >

Aeronautics Systems

Oligopoly

28.7%

Defense Systems

Oligopoly

18.8%

Mission Systems

Oligopoly

24.9%

Space Systems

Oligopoly

27.6%

Pool Corporation segments

Full profile >

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Competitive

100%

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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.