VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Stock Comparison
Ulta Beauty, Inc. vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
ULTA · NASDAQ
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 analysisVertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
VRTX · NASDAQ
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View VRTX analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Ulta Beauty, Inc.).
- Segment focus: Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 3 segments (94% in Beauty Products Retail); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
- Primary market structure: Competitive vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
- Moat breadth: Ulta Beauty, Inc. has 8 moat types across 5 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.
Primary market context
Ulta Beauty, Inc.
Beauty Products Retail
U.S. beauty products retail (specialty omnichannel beauty retailer)
United States
Consumers (end-users) shopping in-store and online
Specialty retailer / distributor
94%
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
CFTR modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis
U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada
Patients (via specialty pharmacies/payers); CF care centers
Drug developer/manufacturer
99.9%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Ulta Beauty, Inc. strengths
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths
Segment mix
Ulta Beauty, Inc. segments
Full profile >Beauty Products Retail
Competitive
Beauty Services
Competitive
Platform Monetization (Retail Media, Credit Cards, Partner Royalties, Deferred Revenue)
Competitive
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated segments
Full profile >Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Quasi-Monopoly
Hemoglobinopathies Gene Therapy (CASGEVY)
Oligopoly
Acute Pain (JOURNAVX)
Competitive
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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.
View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.