| name | competitive-analysis |
| description | Competitive landscape analysis: positioning, scorecards, moat assessment, market share trends |
| license | Derived from anthropics/financial-services-plugins (Apache-2.0). Modified for langalpha. |
Competitive Landscape Mapping
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:
- 10-Ks / Annual Reports — Audited, highest reliability
- Earnings Calls / Investor Presentations — Management commentary, forward guidance
- Sell-Side Research — Analyst estimates, useful for private company sizing
- Industry Reports (McKinsey, Gartner, etc.) — Market sizing, trends
- 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
Match professional presentation 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) |
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.
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 |
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
