VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

QUALCOMM Incorporated vs Watsco, Inc.

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

QUALCOMM Incorporated

QCOM · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$188.8B
Gross margin (TTM)55.4%
Operating margin (TTM)27.9%
Net margin (TTM)12.5%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySemiconductors
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
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 QUALCOMM Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View QCOM analysis

Watsco, Inc.

WSO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)10.2%
Net margin (TTM)7.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
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 Watsco, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WSO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Watsco, Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for QUALCOMM Incorporated).
  • Segment focus: QUALCOMM Incorporated has 4 segments (62.8% in Handset chipsets (Snapdragon platforms)); Watsco, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in HVAC/R Distribution).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: QUALCOMM Incorporated has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Watsco, Inc. has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

QUALCOMM Incorporated

Handset chipsets (Snapdragon platforms)

Market

Smartphone application processors and cellular modem/RF platforms

Geography

Global

Customer

Smartphone OEMs

Role

fabless semiconductor/platform supplier

Revenue share

62.8%

Watsco, Inc.

HVAC/R Distribution

Market

HVAC/R equipment, parts and supplies distribution

Geography

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico; export to Latin America/Caribbean)

Customer

Licensed HVAC and refrigeration contractors (residential & commercial)

Role

Wholesale distributor

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

QUALCOMM Incorporated
Watsco, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
QCOM - NASDAQ Global Select Market
WSO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$188.8B
$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
55.4%
28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
27.9%
10.2%
Net margin (TTM)
12.5%
7.4%
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
Semiconductors
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Handset chipsets (Snapdragon platforms)
HVAC/R Distribution
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
22%-26% (estimated)
9%-12% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
70 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Network, Demand, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

QUALCOMM Incorporated strengths

Keystone ComponentCapex Knowhow ScaleEcosystem ComplementsDesign In QualificationScope EconomiesIP Choke PointLong Term Contracts

Watsco, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityScale Economies Unit CostData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

QUALCOMM Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Handset chipsets (Snapdragon platforms)

Oligopoly

62.8%

Automotive silicon (connectivity, digital cockpit, ADAS/AD)

Oligopoly

8.9%

IoT silicon (consumer, industrial, edge networking)

Competitive

14.9%

Wireless technology licensing (cellular SEPs, royalties)

Oligopoly

12.6%

Watsco, Inc. segments

Full profile >

HVAC/R Distribution

Competitive

100%

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.