VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. vs Thales S.A.

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

Thales S.A.

HO · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)$51.4B
Gross margin (TTM)26.1%
Operating margin (TTM)9%
Net margin (TTM)5.1%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAerospace & Defense
CountryFR
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
73/ 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 Thales S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Thales S.A. leads (73 / 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)); Thales S.A. has 3 segments (53.3% in Defence).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Thales S.A. has 8 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%

Thales S.A.

Defence

Market

Defense electronics, secure communications, and mission systems

Geography

Global

Customer

Government / defence ministries, armed forces, security forces

Role

Prime contractor and system integrator; OEM of defence electronics

Revenue share

53.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
Thales S.A.
Ticker / Exchange
ATD - Toronto Stock Exchange
HO - Euronext Paris
Market cap (USD)
$70.7B
$51.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
18.5%
26.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
5.3%
9%
Net margin (TTM)
3.6%
5.1%
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Specialty Retail
Aerospace & Defense
HQ country
CA
FR
Primary segment
Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)
Defence
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
58 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-05
2025-12-28

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceSupply Chain ControlScope Economies

Thales S.A. strengths

Government Contracting RelationshipsLong Term ContractsDesign In QualificationRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkSuite BundlingCapex Knowhow Scale

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%

Thales S.A. segments

Full profile >

Defence

Oligopoly

53.3%

Aerospace

Oligopoly

26.6%

Cyber & Digital

Competitive

19.6%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.