VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Brown & Brown, Inc. vs Fastenal Company

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

Brown & Brown, Inc.

BRO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$27.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorFinancials
IndustryInsurance - Brokers
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
61/ 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 Brown & Brown, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BRO analysis

Fastenal Company

FAST · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$48.2B
Gross margin (TTM)45.2%
Operating margin (TTM)20.2%
Net margin (TTM)15.3%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
57/ 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 Fastenal Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View FAST analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Brown & Brown, Inc. leads (61 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
  • Segment focus: Brown & Brown, Inc. has 2 segments (59% in Retail); Fastenal Company has 2 segments (55.7% in Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Brown & Brown, Inc. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Fastenal Company has 4 across 2.

Primary market context

Brown & Brown, Inc.

Retail

Market

Retail insurance brokerage and agency services (commercial P&C, employee benefits, personal lines) plus dealer F&I risk-mitigating products

Geography

Primarily United States; also selected international operations

Customer

Commercial (SMB to mid-market), public/quasi-public entities, professional and individual insured customers; auto/RV dealers for F&I

Role

Insurance intermediary (agent/broker) and risk solutions advisor

Revenue share

59%

Fastenal Company

Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)

Market

Wholesale distribution of industrial and construction supplies (fasteners, safety, tools, and other MRO/OEM consumables)

Geography

Primarily North America (with growing international presence)

Customer

Manufacturing (OEM and MRO), non-residential construction, and other commercial customers

Role

Distributor

Revenue share

55.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Brown & Brown, Inc.
Fastenal Company
Ticker / Exchange
BRO - New York Stock Exchange
FAST - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$27.5B
$48.2B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
45.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
20.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
15.3%
Sector
Financials
Industrials
Industry
Insurance - Brokers
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Retail
Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
61 / 100
57 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-09
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Procurement Inertia

Brown & Brown, Inc. strengths

Brand TrustScale Economies Unit CostContractual ExclusivityPreferential Input Access

Fastenal Company strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinOperational Excellence

Segment mix

Brown & Brown, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Retail

Competitive

59%

Specialty Distribution

Oligopoly

41%

Fastenal Company segments

Full profile >

Fastenal Managed Inventory (FMI)

Competitive

44.3%

Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)

Competitive

55.7%

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.