VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Starbucks Corporation vs UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

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

Starbucks Corporation

SBUX · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$96.7B
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
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 Starbucks Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SBUX analysis

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

UNH · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$123.8B
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
64/ 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 UnitedHealth Group Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View UNH analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Starbucks Corporation leads (70 / 100 vs 64 / 100 for UnitedHealth Group Incorporated).
  • Segment focus: Starbucks Corporation has 3 segments (73.6% in North America); UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has 4 segments (74.9% in UnitedHealthcare).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Starbucks Corporation has 7 moat types across 3 domains; UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

Starbucks Corporation

North America

Market

Branded coffeehouse retail (company-operated + licensed)

Geography

U.S. and Canada

Customer

Consumers

Role

Retailer / brand owner

Revenue share

73.6%

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

UnitedHealthcare

Market

U.S. health benefits / managed care (commercial, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid managed care)

Geography

United States (primarily)

Customer

Employers, individuals, and government-sponsored programs

Role

Health insurer / managed care organization

Revenue share

74.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Starbucks Corporation
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
SBUX - Nasdaq Global Select Market
UNH - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$96.7B
$123.8B
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
North America
UnitedHealthcare
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
35%-40% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
70 / 100
64 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-31
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational Excellence

Starbucks Corporation strengths

Brand TrustHabit DefaultPhysical Network DensityPreferential Input AccessContractual ExclusivityScope Economies

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostSuite BundlingData Workflow LockinTraining Org Change Costs

Segment mix

Starbucks Corporation segments

Full profile >

North America

Competitive

73.6%

International

Competitive

21%

Channel Development

Oligopoly

5%

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated segments

Full profile >

UnitedHealthcare

Oligopoly

74.9%

Optum Health

Competitive

9.9%

Optum Insight

Competitive

1.7%

Optum Rx

Oligopoly

13.5%

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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.