VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

Stock Comparison

AutoZone, Inc. vs Hormel Foods Corporation

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

AutoZone, Inc.

AZO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$57.2B
Gross margin (TTM)52.2%
Operating margin (TTM)18.4%
Net margin (TTM)12.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustryAuto - Parts
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
59/ 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 AutoZone, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AZO analysis

Hormel Foods Corporation

HRL · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$12.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorConsumer
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-11
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 Hormel Foods Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HRL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: AutoZone, Inc. leads (59 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Hormel Foods Corporation).
  • Segment focus: AutoZone, Inc. has 2 segments (88% in U.S. Auto Parts Retail & Commercial Distribution); Hormel Foods Corporation has 3 segments (61.6% in Retail).
  • Moat breadth: AutoZone, Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Hormel Foods Corporation has 4 across 2.

Primary market context

AutoZone, Inc.

U.S. Auto Parts Retail & Commercial Distribution

Market

U.S. automotive aftermarket replacement parts & accessories retail and commercial distribution

Geography

United States

Customer

DIY consumers; professional repair shops (DIFM)

Role

Retailer and distributor

Revenue share

88%

Hormel Foods Corporation

Retail

Market

U.S. branded packaged foods sold through retail channels (grocery, mass, club, natural, drug, dollar/discount, e-commerce)

Geography

United States

Customer

Retailers and e-commerce platforms (sell-through to consumers)

Role

Branded manufacturer / marketer

Revenue share

61.6%

Side-by-side metrics

AutoZone, Inc.
Hormel Foods Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
AZO - New York Stock Exchange
HRL - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$57.2B
$12.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
52.2%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
18.4%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
12.8%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Consumer
Industry
Auto - Parts
n/a
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
U.S. Auto Parts Retail & Commercial Distribution
Retail
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
59 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Financial
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-11

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Distribution ControlService Field NetworkBrand Trust

AutoZone, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceNegative Working Capital

Hormel Foods Corporation strengths

Scope Economies

Segment mix

AutoZone, Inc. segments

Full profile >

U.S. Auto Parts Retail & Commercial Distribution

Competitive

88%

International Auto Parts Retail & Commercial Distribution (Mexico & Brazil)

Competitive

12%

Hormel Foods Corporation segments

Full profile >

Retail

Competitive

61.6%

Foodservice

Competitive

32.6%

International

Competitive

5.9%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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

View expansion-stage stocks

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.