VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

L'Oreal S.A. vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

L'Oreal S.A.

OR · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)$205.7B
Gross margin (TTM)74.1%
Operating margin (TTM)19.5%
Net margin (TTM)14.6%
SectorConsumer
IndustryHousehold & Personal Products
CountryFR
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
80/ 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 L'Oreal S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View OR 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: L'Oreal S.A. leads (80 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: L'Oreal S.A. has 4 segments (37% in Consumer Products Division); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: L'Oreal S.A. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

L'Oreal S.A.

Consumer Products Division

Market

Mass-market beauty & personal care (skincare, haircare, makeup, hygiene)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers via mass retail, drugstores, supermarkets, and e-commerce

Role

Brand owner / marketer / manufacturer

Revenue share

37%

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

L'Oreal S.A.
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
OR - Euronext Paris
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$205.7B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
74.1%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
19.5%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
14.6%
9.9%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Household & Personal Products
Specialty Retail
HQ country
FR
US
Primary segment
Consumer Products Division
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
80 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Contractual Exclusivity

L'Oreal S.A. strengths

Brand TrustDistribution ControlCapex Knowhow ScaleService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageTraining Org Change Costs

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralPhysical Network DensityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

L'Oreal S.A. segments

Full profile >

Consumer Products Division

Oligopoly

37%

L'Oreal Luxe Division

Oligopoly

36%

Dermatological Beauty Division

Oligopoly

16%

Professional Products Division

Oligopoly

11%

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?

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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.