VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. vs HCA Healthcare, Inc.

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

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

ATD · Toronto Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$70.7B
Gross margin (TTM)18.5%
Operating margin (TTM)5.3%
Net margin (TTM)3.6%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryCA
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
58/ 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 Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ATD analysis

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

HCA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$116B
Gross margin (TTM)15.6%
Operating margin (TTM)15.6%
Net margin (TTM)8.6%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Care Facilities
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
67/ 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 HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HCA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: HCA Healthcare, Inc. leads (67 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has 3 segments (74% in Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)); HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Hospitals and related healthcare entities).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)

Market

Road transportation fuel retail (gasoline/diesel) at convenience sites; includes unmanned/automated fuel stations

Geography

North America and Europe (plus select other regions via the network)

Customer

Consumers and small fleets

Role

Fuel retailer and site operator

Revenue share

74%

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

Hospitals and related healthcare entities

Market

Acute care hospitals and outpatient healthcare services

Geography

United States (multi-state) and England (United Kingdom)

Customer

Patients and third-party payers

Role

Provider operator

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
HCA Healthcare, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ATD - Toronto Stock Exchange
HCA - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$70.7B
$116B
Gross margin (TTM)
18.5%
15.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
5.3%
15.6%
Net margin (TTM)
3.6%
8.6%
Sector
Consumer
Healthcare
Industry
Specialty Retail
Medical - Care Facilities
HQ country
CA
US
Primary segment
Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)
Hospitals and related healthcare entities
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
58 / 100
67 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-05
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensityScope Economies

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. strengths

Operational ExcellenceBrand TrustSupply Chain Control

HCA Healthcare, Inc. strengths

Permits Rights Of WaySwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchandise and services (in-store convenience retail)

Competitive

25.2%

Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)

Competitive

74%

Other revenues (ancillary energy and other income streams)

Competitive

0.8%

HCA Healthcare, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Hospitals and related healthcare entities

Oligopoly

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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

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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.