VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. vs The Hershey Company

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

The Hershey Company

HSY · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$36.5B
Gross margin (TTM)37.5%
Operating margin (TTM)16.6%
Net margin (TTM)11.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustryFood Confectioners
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
75/ 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 The Hershey Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HSY analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Hershey Company leads (75 / 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)); The Hershey Company has 3 segments (81.4% in North America Confectionery).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; The Hershey Company has 4 across 2.

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%

The Hershey Company

North America Confectionery

Market

Branded chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery

Geography

United States and Canada

Customer

Retail consumers via grocery, mass, club and convenience

Role

Branded manufacturer and marketer

Revenue share

81.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
The Hershey Company
Ticker / Exchange
ATD - Toronto Stock Exchange
HSY - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$70.7B
$36.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
18.5%
37.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
5.3%
16.6%
Net margin (TTM)
3.6%
11.8%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Specialty Retail
Food Confectioners
HQ country
CA
US
Primary segment
Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)
North America Confectionery
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
34%-38% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
58 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-05
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational ExcellenceBrand TrustScope Economies

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensitySupply Chain Control

The Hershey Company strengths

Distribution Control

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%

The Hershey Company segments

Full profile >

North America Confectionery

Oligopoly

81.4%

North America Salty Snacks

Oligopoly

10.1%

International

Competitive

8.5%

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.