VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Waters Corporation vs Walmart Inc.

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

Waters Corporation

WAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
66/ 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 Waters Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WAT analysis

Walmart Inc.

WMT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$913.1B
Gross margin (TTM)24.9%
Operating margin (TTM)4.1%
Net margin (TTM)3.3%
SectorConsumer
IndustryDiscount Stores
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
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 Walmart Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WMT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Walmart Inc. leads (77 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Waters Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems); Walmart Inc. has 3 segments (68.3% in Walmart U.S.).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Waters Corporation has 7 moat types across 2 domains; Walmart Inc. has 6 across 4.

Primary market context

Waters Corporation

Waters instrument systems

Market

Liquid chromatography (LC/UPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analytical instrument systems (including LC-MS workflows and instrument control/data system software)

Geography

Global

Customer

Pharma/biotech, industrial, academic and government laboratories

Role

OEM + software/platform provider

Revenue share

34.9%

Walmart Inc.

Walmart U.S.

Market

U.S. omnichannel discount retail and grocery (supercenters, neighborhood markets, eCommerce)

Geography

United States

Customer

Consumers and small businesses; marketplace sellers and advertisers (for marketplace and retail media offerings)

Role

Retailer / marketplace operator / last-mile fulfillment network

Revenue share

68.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Waters Corporation
Walmart Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
WMT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$23.7B
$913.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
24.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
4.1%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
3.3%
Sector
Healthcare
Consumer
Industry
n/a
Discount Stores
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Waters instrument systems
Walmart U.S.
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
20%-22% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
66 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Supply, Demand, Network, Financial
Last update
2026-01-09
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Supply Chain Control

Waters Corporation strengths

Data Workflow LockinDesign In QualificationBrand TrustInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term ContractsService Field Network

Walmart Inc. strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostPhysical Network DensityHabit DefaultEcosystem ComplementsFloat Prepayment

Segment mix

Waters Corporation segments

Full profile >

Waters instrument systems

Oligopoly

34.9%

Chemistry consumables

Competitive

19.1%

Waters service & software maintenance

Competitive

34%

TA instrument systems & service

Oligopoly

12%

Walmart Inc. segments

Full profile >

Walmart U.S.

Competitive

68.3%

Walmart International

Competitive

18.1%

Sam's Club U.S.

Oligopoly

13.6%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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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.