VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Sunday, January 11, 2026
Stock Comparison
Alcon Inc. vs Fastenal Company
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Alcon Inc.
ALC · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Fastenal Company
FAST · NASDAQ
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 analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Alcon Inc. leads (71 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
- Segment focus: Alcon Inc. has 2 segments (56% in Surgical); Fastenal Company has 2 segments (55.7% in Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
- Moat breadth: Alcon Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Fastenal Company has 4 across 2.
Primary market context
Alcon Inc.
Surgical
Ophthalmic surgical devices (implantables, consumables, equipment) and related service/training
Global
Ophthalmic surgeons, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, group purchasing organizations
Medical device OEM with direct service, clinical support, and training
56%
Fastenal Company
Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)
Wholesale distribution of industrial and construction supplies (fasteners, safety, tools, and other MRO/OEM consumables)
Primarily North America (with growing international presence)
Manufacturing (OEM and MRO), non-residential construction, and other commercial customers
Distributor
55.7%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Alcon Inc. strengths
Fastenal Company strengths
Segment mix
Alcon Inc. segments
Full profile >Surgical
Oligopoly
Vision Care
Oligopoly
Fastenal Company segments
Full profile >Fastenal Managed Inventory (FMI)
Competitive
Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)
Competitive
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View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.