VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. vs Fastenal Company

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)$55.1B
Gross margin (TTM)31.4%
Operating margin (TTM)-7.3%
Net margin (TTM)-3.3%
SectorMaterials
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

Fastenal Company

FAST · Nasdaq Stock Market

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
60/ 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 Products and Chemicals, Inc. leads (70 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
  • Segment focus: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has 3 segments (51.3% in On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)); Fastenal Company has 3 segments (54.5% in Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Fastenal Company has 5 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%

Fastenal Company

Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)

Market

Industrial & construction supplies distribution (MRO/OEM consumables) via local branches

Geography

North America (primary) + select international

Customer

B2B

Role

Distributor / MRO supplier

Revenue share

54.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
Fastenal Company
Ticker / Exchange
APD - New York Stock Exchange
FAST - Nasdaq Stock Market
Market cap (USD)
$55.1B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
31.4%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
-7.3%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
-3.3%
n/a
Sector
Materials
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)
Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Weak
Moat score
70 / 100
60 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-27
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensityOperational Excellence

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. strengths

Long Term ContractsPermits Rights Of WayCapex Knowhow ScaleInstalled Base Consumables

Fastenal Company strengths

Switching Costs GeneralData Workflow LockinScope Economies

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%

Fastenal Company segments

Full profile >

Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)

Competitive

54.5%

Onsite solutions (embedded customer locations)

Competitive

42.4%

Other / non-traditional sales (services & custom manufacturing)

Competitive

3.1%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.