VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. vs CSX Corporation

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

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

APD · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$55.4B
Gross margin (TTM)31.4%
Operating margin (TTM)-7.3%
Net margin (TTM)-3.3%
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-27
Moat score
70/ 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 Products and Chemicals, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View APD 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 70 / 100 for Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has 3 segments (51.3% in On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)); CSX Corporation has 5 segments (61.2% in Merchandise (Rail)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; CSX Corporation has 6 across 2.

Primary market context

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)

Market

On-site supply of industrial gases (oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, etc.)

Geography

Global

Customer

Large-volume industrial customers (refining, chemicals, metals, electronics)

Role

Producer / operator of on-site plants and pipeline networks

Revenue share

51.3%

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

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
CSX Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
APD - New York Stock Exchange
CSX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$55.4B
$67.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
31.4%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
-7.3%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
-3.3%
n/a
Sector
Materials
Industrials
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)
Merchandise (Rail)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
70 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-27
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Permits Rights Of WayCapex Knowhow ScalePhysical Network DensityOperational Excellence

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. strengths

Long Term ContractsInstalled Base Consumables

CSX Corporation strengths

Geographic NaturalScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. segments

Full profile >

On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)

Oligopoly

51.3%

Merchant gases (liquid bulk + packaged)

Competitive

44.3%

Industrial gases equipment (cryogenic & gas processing)

Competitive

4.3%

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.