VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

American Water Works Company, Inc. vs O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.

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

American Water Works Company, Inc.

AWK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$25B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorUtilities
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
79/ 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 American Water Works Company, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AWK analysis

O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.

ORLY · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$79.3B
Gross margin (TTM)51.5%
Operating margin (TTM)19.3%
Net margin (TTM)14.2%
SectorConsumer
IndustryAuto - Parts
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
63/ 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 O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ORLY analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: American Water Works Company, Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 2 segments (91.7% in Regulated Businesses); O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. has 2 segments (52% in DIY Aftermarket Retail).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. has 7 across 2.

Primary market context

American Water Works Company, Inc.

Regulated Businesses

Market

Regulated water and wastewater utility service in certificated/franchised territories

Geography

United States (14-state footprint)

Customer

Residential, commercial, industrial, public authority, fire service, and sale-for-resale customers

Role

Regulated utility owner/operator (water & wastewater)

Revenue share

91.7%

O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.

DIY Aftermarket Retail

Market

Specialty automotive aftermarket parts retail (DIY channel)

Geography

United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada

Customer

Consumers (do-it-yourself vehicle owners)

Role

Specialty retailer

Revenue share

52%

Side-by-side metrics

American Water Works Company, Inc.
O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AWK - New York Stock Exchange
ORLY - Nasdaq Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$25B
$79.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
51.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
19.3%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
14.2%
Sector
Utilities
Consumer
Industry
n/a
Auto - Parts
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Regulated Businesses
DIY Aftermarket Retail
Market structure
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
79 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-09
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network Density

American Water Works Company, Inc. strengths

Concession LicensePermits Rights Of WayCompliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsGovernment Contracting RelationshipsOperational Excellence

O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. strengths

Supply Chain ControlBrand TrustHabit DefaultScope EconomiesService Field NetworkProcurement Inertia

Segment mix

American Water Works Company, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Regulated Businesses

Monopoly

91.7%

Military and Contract Water Services (Other)

Duopoly

8.3%

O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. segments

Full profile >

DIY Aftermarket Retail

Oligopoly

52%

Professional (B2B) Aftermarket Distribution

Competitive

48%

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.