VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

ANSYS, Inc. vs CDW Corporation

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

ANSYS, Inc.

ANSS · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$32.9B
Gross margin (TTM)88.8%
Operating margin (TTM)28.9%
Net margin (TTM)23%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySoftware - Application
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
68/ 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 ANSYS, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ANSS analysis

CDW Corporation

CDW · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$17.4B
Gross margin (TTM)21.6%
Operating margin (TTM)7.4%
Net margin (TTM)4.8%
SectorTechnology
IndustryInformation Technology Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
52/ 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 CDW Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CDW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: ANSYS, Inc. leads (68 / 100 vs 52 / 100 for CDW Corporation).
  • Segment focus: ANSYS, Inc. has 3 segments; CDW Corporation has 4 segments (42.1% in Corporate).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: ANSYS, Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; CDW Corporation has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

ANSYS, Inc.

Core Multiphysics Simulation Platform (CAE)

Market

Multiphysics engineering simulation (CAE) software

Geography

Global

Customer

Enterprises and academia

Role

Engineering design, verification, and validation software

CDW Corporation

Corporate

Market

IT solutions provider / value-added reseller (VAR) + services for U.S. private-sector businesses (250+ employees)

Geography

United States

Customer

Private-sector enterprises (mid-market and large)

Role

Value-added reseller / systems integrator

Revenue share

42.1%

Side-by-side metrics

ANSYS, Inc.
CDW Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ANSS - Nasdaq Global Select Market
CDW - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$32.9B
$17.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
88.8%
21.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
28.9%
7.4%
Net margin (TTM)
23%
4.8%
Sector
Technology
Technology
Industry
Software - Application
Information Technology Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Core Multiphysics Simulation Platform (CAE)
Corporate
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
68 / 100
52 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Network, Legal
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

ANSYS, Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingSwitching Costs GeneralData Workflow LockinDesign In QualificationDe Facto StandardEcosystem ComplementsCompliance Advantage

CDW Corporation strengths

Service Field NetworkScope EconomiesPreferential Input AccessProcurement InertiaOperational ExcellenceGovernment Contracting Relationships

Segment mix

ANSYS, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Core Multiphysics Simulation Platform (CAE)

Oligopoly

n/a

Electronics & Semiconductor Simulation (EDA-adjacent)

Oligopoly

n/a

Digital Mission Engineering & Safety-Critical Tooling

Competitive

n/a

CDW Corporation segments

Full profile >

Corporate

Competitive

42.1%

Small Business

Competitive

7.3%

Public

Competitive

38.8%

Other (UK & Canada)

Competitive

11.8%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.