AEF (ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND,) Moat Score: 3/10 (As of Aug. 24, 2026)

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AEF ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY INCOME FUND, INC. AEF
35 GF Score
Price $9.39
! 4 Warning Signs
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What is ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, Moat Score?

ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, AEF +0.54% 35 Moat Score is 3 as of Aug. 24, 2026. GuruFocus rates AEF with a GF Score™ of 35/100. The stock has 4 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,688 Asset Management companies, ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, ranks better than 90.58% on this metric.

ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, has the Moat Score of 3, which implies that the company might have No Moat - Very weak/transient advantages.

ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, has No Moat: The fund operates in a competitive investment management industry with no significant market share or unique advantages. It lacks proprietary technology, strong brand strength, or regulatory barriers that could provide a sustainable competitive edge.

Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more.

The company's Moat Score is based on these criteria:

1. Market leadership and sustainable market share
2. Network effects and significant customer switching costs
3. Valuable intellectual property and patents
4. Strong brand strength and deep customer loyalty
5. Durable cost advantages (e.g., economies of scale, proprietary technology)
6. Significant regulatory barriers and exclusive licenses
7. Superior distribution network
8. Strong and sustainable pricing power
9. Consistent and impactful innovation and R&D capabilities

Based on the research, GuruFocus believes ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, might have No Moat - Very weak/transient advantages.


ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND,  (AMEX:AEF) Moat Score Explanation

The Moat Score ranges from 0 to 10, with 10 as the highest. GuruFocus divided Moat Score into following 8 categories:

Moat Score Moat Level
10Wide Moat - Exceptionally dominant and durable wide moat
8 - 9Wide Moat - Clear and robust wide moat
7Wide Moat - Entry-level wide moat, clearly possessing durable advantages
6Narrow Moat - Strong narrow moat, clearly distinguishable but not wide
5Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat
4Narrow Moat - Discernible but modest moat
1 - 3No Moat - Very weak/transient advantages
0No Moat - No discernible moat

ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, Moat Score Related Terms


AEF vs JGH, KTF, HIX: Moat Score Comparison

For the Asset Management subindustry, ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND,'s Moat Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Moat Score data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, Moat Score vs Asset Management Industry

For the Asset Management industry and Financial Services sector, ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND,'s Moat Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND,'s Moat Score falls into.


AEF
35GF Score
ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY INCOME FUND, INC. AEF
Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Moat Score →
What does a Moat Score of 3 mean?
ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, (AEF) has a Moat Score of 3 as of Aug. 24, 2026. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. According to the industry distribution chart, ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, ranks #159 out of 1688 companies in the Asset Management industry, placing it in the top 9.4%.
Is ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND,'s Moat Score too high?
ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND,'s current Moat Score is 3. Based on the distribution chart, ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, ranks #159 out of 1688 companies in the Asset Management industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, has a GF Score™ of 35/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND,'s Moat Score compare to JGH and KTF?
According to the Asset Management industry distribution chart, ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, ranks #159 out of 1688 companies for Moat Score. This places ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, in the top 9% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Moat Score for an Asset Management company?
A good Moat Score depends on the Asset Management industry context. However, Moat Score should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Moat Score mean?
A high Moat Score can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND,'s current Moat Score is 3. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, stock overvalued right now?
ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, (AEF) has a current Moat Score of 3. The current Moat Score is 3. ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND,'s overall GF Score™ is 35/100 with 4 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Moat Score calculated?
Moat Score is calculated from a company's financial statements. For ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, (AEF), the current Moat Score is 3 as of Aug. 24, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITYOME FUND, Business Description

Address 1900 Market Street, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 19103
ABERDEEN EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY INCOME FUND, INC. is a non-diversified closed-end, management investment company. Its investment objective is to seek to provide both current income and long-term capital appreciation. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests a majority of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in emerging markets (excluding China) equity securities. The performance of the fund is measured against the MSCI Emerging Markets ex-China Index. Its investment portfolio consists of equity securities from emerging market companies (excluding China), spanning multiple sectors such as Information Technology, Financials, Industrials, Consumer Discretionary, Real Estate, and others.
35GF Score

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Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

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