VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

ANSYS, Inc. vs CSX 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

CSX Corporation

CSX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$67.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
IndustryRailroads
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
74/ 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 CSX Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CSX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: CSX Corporation leads (74 / 100 vs 68 / 100 for ANSYS, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: ANSYS, Inc. has 3 segments; CSX Corporation has 5 segments (61.2% in Merchandise (Rail)).
  • Moat breadth: ANSYS, Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; CSX Corporation has 6 across 2.

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

CSX Corporation

Merchandise (Rail)

Market

Eastern U.S. rail freight transportation (merchandise carload)

Geography

Eastern United States (CSX network; interchange to other railroads)

Customer

Industrial, agricultural, automotive and consumer goods shippers; logistics providers

Role

Common-carrier freight railroad (line-haul + switching/terminal)

Revenue share

61.2%

Side-by-side metrics

ANSYS, Inc.
CSX Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ANSS - Nasdaq Global Select Market
CSX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$32.9B
$67.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
88.8%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
28.9%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
23%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
Software - Application
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Core Multiphysics Simulation Platform (CAE)
Merchandise (Rail)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
68 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Network, Legal
Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

ANSYS, Inc. strengths

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

CSX Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayCapex Knowhow ScaleOperational ExcellenceGeographic NaturalScale Economies Unit Cost

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

CSX Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise (Rail)

Oligopoly

61.2%

Intermodal (Rail)

Competitive

14.1%

Coal (Rail)

Oligopoly

15.5%

Trucking (Quality Carriers)

Competitive

5.8%

Other Revenue (Rail/Ancillary)

Competitive

3.4%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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

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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.