VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Visa Inc. vs Watsco, Inc.

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

Visa Inc.

V · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$686.5B
Gross margin (TTM)80.4%
Operating margin (TTM)60%
Net margin (TTM)50.1%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Credit Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
77/ 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 Visa Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View V analysis

Watsco, Inc.

WSO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)10.2%
Net margin (TTM)7.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
72/ 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 Watsco, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WSO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Visa Inc. leads (77 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Watsco, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Visa Inc. has 4 segments (35.9% in Data processing revenue); Watsco, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in HVAC/R Distribution).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: n/a vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Visa Inc. has 7 moat types across 4 domains; Watsco, Inc. has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Visa Inc.

Data processing revenue

Market

Payment transaction processing (authorization, clearing and settlement) for VisaNet and related network access

Geography

Global

Customer

Issuers, acquirers, payment processors

Role

Network processor / switch (authorization, clearing, settlement)

Revenue share

35.9%

Watsco, Inc.

HVAC/R Distribution

Market

HVAC/R equipment, parts and supplies distribution

Geography

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico; export to Latin America/Caribbean)

Customer

Licensed HVAC and refrigeration contractors (residential & commercial)

Role

Wholesale distributor

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Visa Inc.
Watsco, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
V - New York Stock Exchange
WSO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$686.5B
$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
80.4%
28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
60%
10.2%
Net margin (TTM)
50.1%
7.4%
Sector
Financials
Industrials
Industry
Financial - Credit Services
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Data processing revenue
HVAC/R Distribution
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
9%-12% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
n/a
Moderate
Moat score
77 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

Visa Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkBrand TrustClearing SettlementCapex Knowhow ScaleCompliance AdvantageSuite Bundling

Watsco, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Visa Inc. segments

Full profile >

Service revenue

Oligopoly

31.5%

Data processing revenue

Oligopoly

35.9%

International transaction revenue

Oligopoly

25.4%

Other revenue

Competitive

7.3%

Watsco, Inc. segments

Full profile >

HVAC/R Distribution

Competitive

100%

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.