VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

TC Energy Corporation vs Ulta Beauty, Inc.

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

TC Energy Corporation

TRP · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$56B
Gross margin (TTM)50.7%
Operating margin (TTM)44.4%
Net margin (TTM)28.2%
SectorEnergy
IndustryOil & Gas Midstream
CountryCA
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
80/ 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 TC Energy Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View TRP 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: TC Energy Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: TC Energy Corporation has 4 segments (46.1% in U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines); Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: TC Energy Corporation has 4 moat types across 3 domains; Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 across 5.

Primary market context

TC Energy Corporation

U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines

Market

U.S. interstate natural gas pipeline transportation (FERC-regulated)

Geography

United States

Customer

Utilities/LDCs, power generators, LNG/export facilities, industrial users and marketers (as shippers)

Role

Midstream pipeline operator

Revenue share

46.1%

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

TC Energy Corporation
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
TRP - New York Stock Exchange
ULTA - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$56B
$29.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
50.7%
39.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
44.4%
13.2%
Net margin (TTM)
28.2%
9.9%
Sector
Energy
Consumer
Industry
Oil & Gas Midstream
Specialty Retail
HQ country
CA
US
Primary segment
U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines
Beauty Products Retail
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
8%-10% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand, Supply
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network, Financial
Last update
2026-01-02
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network Density

TC Energy Corporation strengths

Regulated Standards PipeLong Term ContractsGovernment Contracting Relationships

Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input AccessSuite BundlingData Network EffectsTwo Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

TC Energy Corporation segments

Full profile >

Canadian Natural Gas Pipelines

Quasi-Monopoly

40.7%

U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines

Oligopoly

46.1%

Mexico Natural Gas Pipelines

Oligopoly

6.3%

Power and Energy Solutions

Competitive

6.9%

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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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.