Peter Gratton, Ph.D., is a New Orleans-based editor and professor with over 20 years of experience in investing, economics, and public policy. Peter began covering markets at Multex (Reuters) and has ...

A moat is the unique advantage that protects your business from competition. Early moats can be hustle or grit, but must evolve as businesses grow. Without a moat, great ideas and products are easily ...

Why aren’t wide-moat stocks holding up better this year? It’s a question that trended heavily in the first quarter of 2026, when the broad US stock market declined by more than 4% and many ...

When assigning economic moat ratings, Morningstar analysts and the Morningstar economic moat committee take both quantitative and qualitative considerations into account. On the quantitative side, we ...

Moat Index gained 1.7% in December, led by strong stock selection in technology, industrials and consumer staples. Estée Lauder and Salesforce led Moat Index gains, driven by improving beauty demand ...