competitive-analysis

Competitive Landscape Mapping

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CRITICAL STANDARDS - APPLY TO EVERY ANALYSIS

Source File Primacy

When source files (Excel/CSV) are provided:

• Extract values DIRECTLY — Do not perform your own calculations; use the numbers as they appear
• Maintain consistency — When the same metric appears in multiple places, ensure identical values throughout
• Verify calculations — If the prompt asks you to calculate something, verify your result matches related data in the source
• Round only as shown — Use the same decimal precision as the source file

Prompt Fidelity

When the prompt specifies exact requirements, follow them verbatim:

Slide Titles & Section Names:

• If prompt says "Overview and Competitive Scope" slide — use EXACTLY that title, not a paraphrase
• If prompt says within the "Segment Mix" section — use EXACTLY "Segment Mix" as the section header
• Never substitute with creative alternatives (e.g., don't use "FY2024 Segment Contribution Analysis" when "Overview and Competitive Scope" was specified)

Chart vs Table:

• If prompt says embedded chart — create an actual PowerPoint chart object, NOT a table
• If prompt says data labels must display — these go on chart elements (bars, slices, lines), not table cells
• Tables and charts are NOT interchangeable — use exactly what's specified

Complete Data Series:

• If prompt lists 7 competitors, include ALL 7 — not 5 or 6
• If prompt shows data for years 2015-2025, include ALL years — not a subset
• If prompt specifies 6 series in a chart (Uber, Lyft, DiDi, Bolt, Grab, Gojek), include ALL 6 — not 4

Exact Values & Phrasing:

• If prompt says Revenue: $43.98B (+18% YoY) — display exactly that format
• If prompt says surpasses DoorDash 4:1, Lyft 8:1 — use those exact ratios, not "7.6x Lyft"
• If prompt gives specific percentages (e.g., "Uber 30%, DiDi 35%"), use exactly those numbers

When in doubt: Re-read the prompt. If it specifies something explicitly, that's not a suggestion — it's a requirement.

Reference Files

This skill includes reference files in the references/ folder. Use them as follows:

• references/schemas.md — Table templates for M&A transactions, scenario analysis, and slide structure. Reference when building financial tables or investment scenarios.
• references/frameworks.md — 2x2 matrix axis pairs by industry. Reference when choosing positioning visualization dimensions.

Source Quality Hierarchy

When sources conflict, prioritize in this order:

1. 10-Ks / Annual Reports — Audited, highest reliability
2. Earnings Calls / Investor Presentations — Management commentary, forward guidance
3. Sell-Side Research — Analyst estimates, useful for private company sizing
4. Industry Reports (McKinsey, Gartner, etc.) — Market sizing, trends
5. News Articles — Use only for recent developments, verify against primary sources

Data Comparability

• Time periods must match — All competitor metrics from same fiscal year. Flag exceptions: "(FY24)" vs "(H1 2024)"
• Metric definitions must match — Same calculation methodology across competitors
• Currency normalization — Convert all figures to USD for international comparisons; note exchange rate and date used
• Use "-" for missing data — Never leave cells blank; for private companies, use "N/A" or estimates with "[E]" flag
• Cite every number — Format: "[Company] [Document] ([Date])"
• Source file fidelity — When Excel/CSV files are provided, use values exactly as given; do not recalculate or round differently than shown

Design & Formatting

• Slide titles = insights — "Scale leaders pulling away from niche players" not "Competitive Analysis"
• Slide titles must fit — One or two lines fine, but no overflow; reduce font size if needed (min 24pt)
• Signposts = quantified — "margin below 40%" not "margins decline"
• Ratings include actuals — "●●● $160B" not just "●●●"
• Slide numbers required — Every slide must have a page number

Presentation-Specific Requirements

• Actual embedded charts required — Pie charts, bar charts, and line graphs must be real PowerPoint chart objects (created via pptx skill), NOT text/ASCII representations
• Match prompt structure — If prompt specifies slide structure, follow it
• Competitor tables — For comprehensive analysis: metrics table + qualitative table per competitor. For rapid assessments: single combined table is acceptable.
• Segment financials — Include both Revenue AND EBITDA when available. For private competitors or limited disclosure, revenue-only tables are acceptable; note "[EBITDA not disclosed]"

Visual Reference

Review examples/Toast_Embedded_Payments_Competitive_Landscape_v3.pptx and match its professional quality:

Spacing & Overflow Prevention:

• Title-to-content gap — Minimum 0.4" between slide title bottom and first content element
• Section header gaps — Minimum 0.25" between section headers and content below
• Element buffers — Minimum 0.2" between any two elements (tables, text boxes, charts)
• Margin safety — Keep all content at least 0.5" from slide edges
• Text overflow — If text doesn't fit, reduce font size or split across slides; never let text clip or overlap

Slide Titles:

• Must fit within slide width — One or two lines is fine, but text must not overflow or clip
• If title is too long — Shorten wording or reduce font size (minimum 24pt)
• Front-load the insight — Put the key point first, details second

Chart Formatting:

• Legend inside layout — Always set include_in_layout=True so legends don't overlap chart area
• Legend position — Use RIGHT for pie charts (≤6 items), BOTTOM for line/bar charts (≤4 series)
• Too many series — If >6 series, consider splitting into multiple charts or using a table instead
• Data labels — For pie charts, show percentages on slices rather than relying solely on legend

Typography (set explicitly, never use defaults):

• Slide title: 28-32pt bold
• Section headers: 16-20pt bold
• Body text: 11-14pt regular
• Table text: 10-12pt regular
• Sources/footnotes: 8-10pt, gray
• Consistency rule: Same element type = same font size throughout deck

Layout:

• Clean grid alignment — tables and text blocks align to consistent margins
• Generous whitespace — don't crowd slides; let content breathe
• Visual hierarchy — most important insight is largest/most prominent
• One key message per slide — supporting detail below

Color:

• Limited palette — 2-3 colors max (one accent color for emphasis)
• Muted tones — avoid bright/saturated colors; use navy, gray, muted blue
• Consistent application — same color meanings throughout (e.g., accent for key metrics)

Tables:

• Light gray header row with bold text
• Alternating row shading (subtle) or clean white with thin borders
• Right-align numbers, left-align text
• Adequate cell padding — text shouldn't touch borders

Rating visuals:

• ●●● / ●●○ / ●○○ system with actual metric alongside
• Consistent placement in comparative tables

Adapt structure and metrics to fit your industry — but maintain this level of polish.

What's STRICT vs FLEXIBLE

| STRICT (Every Time) | FLEXIBLE (Case-by-Case) | |---------------------|------------------------| | Exact titles/sections when prompt specifies | Creative titles when prompt doesn't specify | | Chart when prompt says chart; table when prompt says table | Visualization type when prompt doesn't specify | | All data points/competitors listed in prompt | Number of competitors when prompt doesn't specify | | Exact values/ratios when prompt specifies them | Rounding when prompt doesn't specify precision | | Titles fit without overflow | Number of competitor categories | | Minimum spacing between elements | Which dimensions to compare | | Chart legends inside layout | Number of competitors profiled | | No overlapping text/elements | Visualization type (2x2, radar, tier) |

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WORKFLOW PHASES

Phase 1: Clarify Requirements

Before starting, confirm:

• Scope: Single company deep-dive or multi-company comparison?
• Output: Presentation or written memo?
• Focus areas: Specific competitors, dimensions, or strategic questions?
• Investment context: Need scenarios/signposts?
• Source files: What data files are provided and what values should be extracted?

Phase 2: Research → Outline → Review → Create

Do NOT create final output until outline is reviewed.

The 10-step Analysis Workflow below (Steps 0-9) is executed during Phase 2. Complete research and outlining before creating final slides or documents.

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ANALYSIS WORKFLOW

Step 0: Identify Industry-Defining Metrics

Before diving into analysis, identify 3-5 metrics that matter most for this industry:

| Industry | Key Metrics | |----------|-------------| | SaaS | ARR, NRR, CAC payback, LTV/CAC, Rule of 40 | | Payments | GPV, take rate, attach rate, transaction margin | | Marketplaces | GMV, take rate, buyer/seller ratio, repeat rate | | Retail | Same-store sales, inventory turns, sales per sq ft | | Logistics | Volume, cost per unit, on-time delivery %, capacity utilization |

For industries not listed, identify the 3-5 metrics that investors and operators use to benchmark performance.

Use these metrics consistently across all competitor comparisons.

Step 1: Market Context

• Market size (current and projected) with source
• Growth drivers and headwinds
• Key trends reshaping the industry

CORRECT: "The embedded payments market is $80-100B in 2024, growing at 20-25% CAGR (McKinsey 2024)" WRONG: "The market is large and growing rapidly"

Step 2: Industry Economics

Map value flows. Approach varies by industry type:

• Vertically-structured — Value chain layers with typical margin at each
• Platform/network — Ecosystem participants and value flows between them
• Fragmented — Consolidation dynamics and margin differences by scale

Step 3: Target Company Profile

| Metric | Value |
|--------|-------|
| Revenue | $4.96B |
| Growth | +26% YoY |
| Gross Margin | 45% |
| Profitability | $373M Adj. EBITDA |
| Customers | 134K |
| Retention | 92% |
| Market Share | ~15% |

For multi-segment companies, add segment breakdown:

| Segment | Revenue | Rev YoY | Rev % | EBITDA | EBITDA YoY | Margin |
|---------|---------|---------|-------|--------|------------|--------|
| Seg A   | $25.1B  | +26%    | 57%   | $6.5B  | +31%       | 26%    |
| Seg B   | $13.8B  | +31%    | 31%   | $2.5B  | +64%       | 18%    |
| Seg C   | $5.1B   | -2%     | 12%   | -$74M  | -16%       | -1%    |
| Total   | $44.0B  | +18%    | 100%  | $6.5B* | -          | 15%    |

*Note corporate costs if applicable

Step 4: Competitor Mapping

Group competitors using the framework that fits:

• By business model — Platform vs. vertical vs. horizontal
• By segment — Enterprise vs. SMB vs. consumer
• By posture — Direct vs. adjacent vs. emerging
• By origin — Incumbents vs. disruptors vs. new entrants

Step 5: Positioning Visualization

| Visualization | Best For | |--------------|----------| | 2x2 Matrix | Two dominant competitive factors | | Radar/Spider | Multi-factor comparison | | Tier Diagram | Natural clustering/strategic groups | | Value Chain Map | Vertical industries | | Ecosystem Map | Platform markets |

Step 6: Competitor Deep Dives

Table 1 — Metrics:

| Metric | Value |
|--------|-------|
| Revenue | $X.XB |
| Growth | +XX% YoY |
| Gross Margin | XX% |
| Market Cap | $X.XB |
| Profitability | $XXXM EBITDA |
| Customers | XXK |
| Retention | XX% |
| Market Share | ~XX% |

Table 2 — Qualitative:

| Category | Assessment |
|----------|------------|
| Business | What they do (1 sentence) |
| Strengths | 2-3 bullets |
| Weaknesses | 2-3 bullets |
| Strategy | Current priorities |

Step 7: Comparative Analysis

| Dimension | Company A | Company B | Company C |
|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Scale | ●●● $160B | ●●○ $45B | ●○○ $8B |
| Growth | ●●○ +26% | ●●● +35% | ●●○ +22% |
| Margins | ●●○ 7.5% | ●○○ 3.2% | ●●● 15% |

Step 8: Strategic Context

• M&A transactions (multiples, strategic rationale)
• Partnership and integration trends
• Capital raising patterns
• Regulatory developments

Step 9: Synthesis

Competitive Moat Assessment: Evaluate each competitor's durable advantages using these categories:

| Moat Type | What to Assess | |-----------|----------------| | Network Effects | Strength of user/supplier flywheel; cross-side vs. same-side effects | | Switching Costs | Technical integration depth, contractual lock-in, behavioral habits | | Scale Economies | Unit cost advantages at volume; minimum efficient scale | | Intangible Assets | Brand value, proprietary data, regulatory licenses, patents |

Rate each as Strong / Moderate / Weak with supporting evidence.

Required Synthesis Elements:

• Durable advantages (hard to replicate) — map to moat categories above
• Structural vulnerabilities (hard to fix)
• Current state vs. trajectory

For investment contexts:

| Scenario | Probability | Key Driver |
|----------|-------------|------------|
| Bull | 30% | Market share gains, margin expansion |
| Base | 50% | Current trajectory continues |
| Bear | 20% | Competitive pressure, margin compression |

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QUALITY CHECKLIST

Before finalizing, verify:

Prompt Fidelity:

• ✅ Slide titles match prompt exactly (not paraphrased)
• ✅ Section names match prompt exactly
• ✅ Charts used where prompt says "chart"; tables where prompt says "table"
• ✅ All competitors/data points included (if prompt lists 7, include 7)
• ✅ All years/periods included (if prompt shows 2015-2025, include all)
• ✅ Exact values and formats used as specified in prompt
• ✅ Commentary uses exact phrasing when prompt specifies it

Source File & Data Consistency:

• ✅ All values from source files extracted directly (not recalculated)
• ✅ Same metric shows identical value across all slides
• ✅ Calculated percentages match source data or related figures
• ✅ Numbers use same decimal precision as source

Layout & Spacing:

• ✅ Minimum 0.4" gap between slide title and first content element
• ✅ No text or elements overlapping
• ✅ All content within 0.5" margin from slide edges
• ✅ Text fits within containers (no clipping or overflow)
• ✅ Slide titles fit within slide width (1-2 lines, no overflow)

Charts:

• ✅ Legends set to include_in_layout=True (no overlap with chart)
• ✅ Legend position appropriate (RIGHT for pie, BOTTOM for line/bar)
• ✅ No more than 6 series per chart; if more, split or use table

Typography:

• ✅ Font sizes explicitly set (not default)
• ✅ Same element type uses same font size across all slides
• ✅ Titles 28-32pt, headers 16-20pt, body 11-14pt, sources 8-10pt

Data & Sources:

• ✅ Every number has a source citation
• ✅ All competitor metrics from same fiscal period (flag exceptions)
• ✅ Same metric definitions across all competitors

Presentation Format:

• ✅ Slide titles state insights, not topics
• ✅ All slides have page numbers
• ✅ Charts are actual embedded PowerPoint objects (not ASCII/text)
• ✅ Segment tables include EBITDA where available; revenue-only acceptable for private companies