VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Air Liquide S.A. vs Fastenal Company

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

Air Liquide S.A.

AI · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)$91.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
CountryFR
Data as of2026-01-08
Moat score
58/ 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 Air Liquide S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AI analysis

Fastenal Company

FAST · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$48.2B
Gross margin (TTM)45.2%
Operating margin (TTM)20.2%
Net margin (TTM)15.3%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
57/ 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 Fastenal Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View FAST analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Air Liquide S.A. leads (58 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
  • Segment focus: Air Liquide S.A. has 6 segments (44% in Industrial Merchant); Fastenal Company has 2 segments (55.7% in Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Air Liquide S.A. has 12 moat types across 3 domains; Fastenal Company has 4 across 2.

Primary market context

Air Liquide S.A.

Industrial Merchant

Market

Merchant industrial and medical gases distribution (cylinders, bulk liquids) plus related equipment and services

Geography

Global (local/regional distribution markets)

Customer

SMEs and mid-market industrial customers, contractors, labs, and public sector buyers

Role

Distributor + producer (last-mile logistics, cylinder assets, bulk delivery)

Revenue share

44%

Fastenal Company

Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)

Market

Wholesale distribution of industrial and construction supplies (fasteners, safety, tools, and other MRO/OEM consumables)

Geography

Primarily North America (with growing international presence)

Customer

Manufacturing (OEM and MRO), non-residential construction, and other commercial customers

Role

Distributor

Revenue share

55.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Air Liquide S.A.
Fastenal Company
Ticker / Exchange
AI - Euronext Paris
FAST - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$91.6B
$48.2B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
45.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
20.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
15.3%
Sector
Materials
Industrials
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
FR
US
Primary segment
Industrial Merchant
Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
58 / 100
57 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-08
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational ExcellenceService Field Network

Air Liquide S.A. strengths

Long Term ContractsPhysical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostDistribution ControlCompliance AdvantageDesign In QualificationSupply Chain ControlIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleScope Economies

Fastenal Company strengths

Data Workflow LockinProcurement Inertia

Segment mix

Air Liquide S.A. segments

Full profile >

Large Industries

Oligopoly

26%

Industrial Merchant

Competitive

44%

Healthcare

Competitive

16%

Electronics

Oligopoly

9%

Engineering & Construction

Competitive

2%

Global Markets & Technologies

Competitive

3%

Fastenal Company segments

Full profile >

Fastenal Managed Inventory (FMI)

Competitive

44.3%

Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)

Competitive

55.7%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.