VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. vs Nestle 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

Nestle S.A.

NESN · SIX Swiss Exchange

Market cap (USD)$195.8B
Gross margin (TTM)46.8%
Operating margin (TTM)15.5%
Net margin (TTM)11.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustryPackaged Foods
CountryCH
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
57/ 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 Nestle S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NESN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. leads (58 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for Nestle S.A.).
  • Segment focus: Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has 3 segments (74% in Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)); Nestle S.A. has 7 segments (26.9% in Powdered and Liquid Beverages).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Nestle S.A. has 6 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%

Nestle S.A.

Powdered and Liquid Beverages

Market

Packaged coffee (instant, roast and ground, portioned) and other powdered beverages (cocoa/malt, creamers)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers (end-users) via retail and e-commerce; plus out-of-home channels

Role

Branded manufacturer and marketer; system operator for portioned coffee (machines + capsules)

Revenue share

26.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
Nestle S.A.
Ticker / Exchange
ATD - Toronto Stock Exchange
NESN - SIX Swiss Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$70.7B
$195.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
18.5%
46.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
5.3%
15.5%
Net margin (TTM)
3.6%
11.8%
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Specialty Retail
Packaged Foods
HQ country
CA
CH
Primary segment
Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)
Powdered and Liquid Beverages
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
25% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
58 / 100
57 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-05
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceSupply Chain ControlScope Economies

Nestle S.A. strengths

Preferential Input AccessInstalled Base ConsumablesLearning Curve YieldDistribution ControlCompliance Advantage

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%

Nestle S.A. segments

Full profile >

Powdered and Liquid Beverages

Oligopoly

26.9%

PetCare

Oligopoly

20.7%

Nutrition and Health Science

Oligopoly

16.6%

Prepared dishes and cooking aids

Competitive

11.7%

Milk products and Ice cream

Competitive

11.4%

Confectionery

Oligopoly

9.2%

Water

Competitive

3.5%

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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.