VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. vs Canadian National Railway Company

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

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

BRK.B · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
64/ 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 Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BRK.B analysis

Canadian National Railway Company

CNR · Toronto Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$61.2B
SectorIndustrials
CountryCA
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
97/ 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 Canadian National Railway Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CNR analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Canadian National Railway Company leads (97 / 100 vs 64 / 100 for Berkshire Hathaway Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has 11 segments (28.3% in Insurance (underwriting + investment income)); Canadian National Railway Company has 2 segments (96.2% in Rail freight transportation network).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Duopoly. Pricing power: n/a vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has 17 moat types across 4 domains; Canadian National Railway Company has 4 across 2.

Primary market context

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Insurance (underwriting + investment income)

Market

Insurance and reinsurance (property and casualty + life/health), including float-funded investing

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers and businesses (policyholders) and insurers (reinsurance cedents)

Role

Underwriter and reinsurer plus investment manager of float

Revenue share

28.3%

Canadian National Railway Company

Rail freight transportation network

Market

Canadian Class I freight rail transportation

Geography

Canada (with U.S. cross-border corridors)

Customer

Industrial shippers, intermodal customers, and auto supply chains

Role

Line-haul freight railway (Class I)

Revenue share

96.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Canadian National Railway Company
Ticker / Exchange
BRK.B - New York Stock Exchange
CNR - Toronto Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$61.2B
Sector
Financials
Industrials
HQ country
US
CA
Primary segment
Insurance (underwriting + investment income)
Rail freight transportation network
Market structure
Competitive
Duopoly
Market share
n/a
50%-56% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
4,031
Pricing power
n/a
Moderate
Moat score
64 / 100
97 / 100
Moat domains
Financial, Supply, Demand, Legal
Legal, Supply
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostScope Economies

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. strengths

Float PrepaymentCapacity MoatBrand TrustLong Term ContractsConcession LicenseDesign In QualificationCapex Knowhow ScaleIP Choke PointDistribution ControlTraining Org Change CostsPreferential Input AccessService Field NetworkCost Of Capital Advantage

Canadian National Railway Company strengths

No unique moat types yet.

Segment mix

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. segments

Full profile >

Insurance (underwriting + investment income)

Competitive

28.3%

BNSF Railway (freight rail transportation)

Oligopoly

6.4%

Berkshire Hathaway Energy (regulated utilities, pipelines, renewables)

Monopoly

7.1%

Industrial products manufacturing (PCC, Lubrizol, IMC, Marmon, etc.)

Oligopoly

9.7%

Building products & housing (Clayton Homes, Shaw, Johns Manville, Benjamin Moore, etc.)

Competitive

7.2%

Consumer products manufacturing (Duracell, Forest River, apparel/footwear, toys, etc.)

Competitive

4%

Service businesses (FlightSafety, NetJets, TTI, Dairy Queen, etc.)

Competitive

5.6%

Retailing businesses (Berkshire Hathaway Automotive, home furnishings, jewelry, See's, etc.)

Competitive

5.2%

Pilot Travel Centers (travel centers + wholesale fuel marketing)

Oligopoly

12.6%

McLane (wholesale distribution to convenience stores and restaurants)

Oligopoly

14%

Holding company capital allocation and investing

Competitive

n/a

Canadian National Railway Company segments

Full profile >

Rail freight transportation network

Duopoly

96.2%

Non-rail logistics and ancillary services

Competitive

3.8%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.