VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

The Sherwin-Williams Company vs VeriSign, Inc.

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

The Sherwin-Williams Company

SHW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$80.4B
SectorMaterials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
84/ 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 Sherwin-Williams Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SHW analysis

VeriSign, Inc.

VRSN · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)
SectorTechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
100/ 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 VeriSign, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VRSN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: VeriSign, Inc. leads (100 / 100 vs 84 / 100 for The Sherwin-Williams Company).
  • Segment focus: The Sherwin-Williams Company has 3 segments (57.1% in Paint Stores Group); VeriSign, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Naming Services (.com and .net registry)).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Monopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: The Sherwin-Williams Company has 6 moat types across 3 domains; VeriSign, Inc. has 4 across 4.

Primary market context

The Sherwin-Williams Company

Paint Stores Group

Market

Company-operated paint & coatings retail (architectural + related products)

Geography

United States, Canada, Caribbean

Customer

Professional contractors and DIY homeowners

Role

Manufacturer-owned retail / distribution

Revenue share

57.1%

VeriSign, Inc.

Naming Services (.com and .net registry)

Market

Registry operator services for .com and .net top-level domains (domain registrations + authoritative DNS resolution)

Geography

Global

Customer

ICANN-accredited domain registrars (wholesale) and, indirectly, registrants

Role

Registry operator / DNS infrastructure provider

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

The Sherwin-Williams Company
VeriSign, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
SHW - New York Stock Exchange
VRSN - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$80.4B
n/a
Sector
Materials
Technology
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Paint Stores Group
Naming Services (.com and .net registry)
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Monopoly
Market share
69.4% (estimated)
100% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
10,000
Pricing power
Strong
Strong
Moat score
84 / 100
100 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Legal, Network, Supply, Financial
Last update
2025-12-31
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

The Sherwin-Williams Company strengths

Distribution ControlService Field NetworkBrand TrustScope EconomiesSwitching Costs GeneralCompliance Advantage

VeriSign, Inc. strengths

Concession LicenseDe Facto StandardOperational ExcellenceFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

The Sherwin-Williams Company segments

Full profile >

Paint Stores Group

Quasi-Monopoly

57.1%

Consumer Brands Group

Oligopoly

13.5%

Performance Coatings Group

Oligopoly

29.4%

VeriSign, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Naming Services (.com and .net registry)

Monopoly

100%

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

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.