VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Pool Corporation vs Spirax Group plc

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

Spirax Group plc

SPX · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$5B
Gross margin (TTM)19.6%
Operating margin (TTM)17.2%
Net margin (TTM)10.7%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
CountryGB
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
71/ 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 Spirax Group plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SPX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Spirax Group plc leads (71 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Pool Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Pool Corporation has 1 segment (100% in Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)); Spirax Group plc has 3 segments (52.1% in Steam Thermal Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Pool Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Spirax Group plc has 6 across 2.

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%

Spirax Group plc

Steam Thermal Solutions

Market

Industrial and commercial steam systems (condensate management, controls, thermal energy management products and solutions)

Geography

Global

Customer

Industrial process operators and commercial facility operators

Role

OEM / solutions provider

Revenue share

52.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Pool Corporation
Spirax Group plc
Ticker / Exchange
POOL - NASDAQ
SPX - London Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$8.8B
$5B
Gross margin (TTM)
29.6%
19.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
11.1%
17.2%
Net margin (TTM)
7.8%
10.7%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Industrial - Distribution
Industrial - Machinery
HQ country
US
GB
Primary segment
Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)
Steam Thermal Solutions
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
56 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Pool Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostScope EconomiesProcurement InertiaData Workflow Lockin

Spirax Group plc strengths

Service Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesBrand TrustCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In QualificationSuite Bundling

Segment mix

Pool Corporation segments

Full profile >

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Competitive

100%

Spirax Group plc segments

Full profile >

Steam Thermal Solutions

Oligopoly

52.1%

Electric Thermal Solutions

Competitive

24.3%

Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions

Oligopoly

23.6%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.