VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Roper Technologies, Inc. vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

Roper Technologies, Inc.

ROP · The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Market cap (USD)$46.8B
Gross margin (TTM)69%
Operating margin (TTM)28.1%
Net margin (TTM)20.3%
SectorTechnology
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
67/ 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 Roper Technologies, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ROP 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: Roper Technologies, Inc. leads (67 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Roper Technologies, Inc. has 3 segments (55% in Application Software); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Roper Technologies, Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

Roper Technologies, Inc.

Application Software

Market

Vertical application software for niche end markets

Geography

Global

Customer

Businesses, institutions, and public-sector organizations

Role

Software vendor (SaaS, subscriptions, and related services)

Revenue share

55%

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

Roper Technologies, Inc.
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ROP - The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$46.8B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
69%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
28.1%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
20.3%
9.9%
Sector
Technology
Consumer
Industry
Industrial - Machinery
Specialty Retail
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Application Software
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
67 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Financial, Network
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Two Sided NetworkData Network EffectsSwitching Costs General

Roper Technologies, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinCompliance AdvantageNegative Working CapitalDesign In Qualification

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Roper Technologies, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Application Software

Oligopoly

55%

Network Software

Oligopoly

21%

Technology Enabled Products

Competitive

24.1%

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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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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.