VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

AutoZone, Inc. vs Morningstar, Inc.

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

Morningstar, Inc.

MORN · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorFinancials
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-10
Moat score
67/ 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 Morningstar, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MORN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Morningstar, Inc. leads (67 / 100 vs 59 / 100 for AutoZone, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: AutoZone, Inc. has 2 segments (88% in U.S. Auto Parts Retail & Commercial Distribution); Morningstar, Inc. has 7 segments (34.6% in Morningstar Data and Analytics).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: AutoZone, Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Morningstar, Inc. has 6 across 3.

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%

Morningstar, Inc.

Morningstar Data and Analytics

Market

Investment data, research, and analytics platforms

Geography

Global

Revenue share

34.6%

Side-by-side metrics

AutoZone, Inc.
Morningstar, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AZO - New York Stock Exchange
MORN - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$57.2B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
52.2%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
18.4%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
12.8%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Financials
Industry
Auto - Parts
n/a
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
U.S. Auto Parts Retail & Commercial Distribution
Morningstar Data and Analytics
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
59 / 100
67 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Financial
Demand, Network, Legal
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-10

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

AutoZone, Inc. strengths

Distribution ControlPhysical Network DensityService Field NetworkOperational ExcellenceBrand TrustNegative Working Capital

Morningstar, Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinDe Facto StandardRegulated Standards PipeSuite BundlingTraining Org Change CostsIP Choke Point

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%

Morningstar, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Morningstar Data and Analytics

Oligopoly

34.6%

PitchBook

Oligopoly

27.2%

Morningstar Credit

Oligopoly

12.8%

Morningstar Wealth

Competitive

10.9%

Morningstar Retirement

Competitive

5.6%

Morningstar Sustainalytics

Oligopoly

5.2%

Morningstar Indexes

Oligopoly

3.7%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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

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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.