VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Pool Corporation vs The Charles Schwab Corporation

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

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

The Charles Schwab Corporation

SCHW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$188.7B
Gross margin (TTM)84.4%
Operating margin (TTM)39%
Net margin (TTM)30.3%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Capital Markets
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
74/ 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 The Charles Schwab Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SCHW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Charles Schwab Corporation leads (74 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Pool Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Pool Corporation has 1 segment (100% in Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)); The Charles Schwab Corporation has 2 segments (79.4% in Investor Services).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Pool Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; The Charles Schwab Corporation has 7 across 4.

Primary market context

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%

The Charles Schwab Corporation

Investor Services

Market

U.S. retail brokerage, self-directed investing, and wealth management platforms

Geography

United States

Customer

Retail investors, employers, retirement plan sponsors

Role

Broker-dealer + bank + wealth manager platform

Revenue share

79.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Pool Corporation
The Charles Schwab Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
POOL - NASDAQ
SCHW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$8.8B
$188.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
29.6%
84.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
11.1%
39%
Net margin (TTM)
7.8%
30.3%
Sector
Industrials
Financials
Industry
Industrial - Distribution
Financial - Capital Markets
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)
Investor Services
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Weak
Moat score
56 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Supply, Demand, Financial, Network
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit CostData Workflow Lockin

Pool Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityScope EconomiesProcurement Inertia

The Charles Schwab Corporation strengths

Suite BundlingBrand TrustFloat PrepaymentEcosystem ComplementsService Field Network

Segment mix

Pool Corporation segments

Full profile >

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Competitive

100%

The Charles Schwab Corporation segments

Full profile >

Investor Services

Oligopoly

79.4%

Advisor Services

Oligopoly

20.6%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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

View expansion-stage stocks

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.