VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. vs Illinois Tool Works Inc.

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

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.

BJ · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$12.3B
Gross margin (TTM)18.6%
Operating margin (TTM)3.9%
Net margin (TTM)2.7%
SectorConsumer
IndustryDiscount Stores
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
60/ 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 BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BJ analysis

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

ITW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$73.1B
Gross margin (TTM)43.6%
Operating margin (TTM)26.2%
Net margin (TTM)19.1%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
66/ 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 Illinois Tool Works Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ITW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Illinois Tool Works Inc. leads (66 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. has 2 segments (97.8% in Merchandise and Gasoline Sales); Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.

Merchandise and Gasoline Sales

Market

Membership warehouse club retail (groceries, fresh foods, general merchandise, gasoline, ancillary services)

Geography

United States (primarily Eastern U.S.)

Customer

Households and small businesses (members)

Role

Retailer / warehouse club operator

Revenue share

97.8%

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Automotive OEM

Market

Automotive OEM engineered components and fasteners

Geography

Global

Customer

Automotive OEMs and Tier suppliers

Role

Component supplier

Revenue share

20%

Side-by-side metrics

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
BJ - New York Stock Exchange
ITW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$12.3B
$73.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
18.6%
43.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
3.9%
26.2%
Net margin (TTM)
2.7%
19.1%
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Discount Stores
Industrial - Machinery
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchandise and Gasoline Sales
Automotive OEM
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
60 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Financial, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand Trust

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostSupply Chain ControlPhysical Network DensityNegative Working CapitalFloat PrepaymentHabit Default

Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationOperational ExcellenceService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesSwitching Costs GeneralFormulation and application engineering know-howIP Choke Point

Segment mix

BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchandise and Gasoline Sales

Oligopoly

97.8%

Membership Fee Income

Oligopoly

2.2%

Illinois Tool Works Inc. segments

Full profile >

Automotive OEM

Competitive

20%

Food Equipment

Oligopoly

16.6%

Test & Measurement and Electronics

Oligopoly

17.7%

Welding

Oligopoly

11.6%

Polymers & Fluids

Competitive

11.1%

Construction Products

Competitive

12%

Specialty Products

Oligopoly

10.9%

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.