VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Casey's General Stores, Inc. vs Illinois Tool Works Inc.

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

Casey's General Stores, Inc.

CASY · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$21B
Gross margin (TTM)23.4%
Operating margin (TTM)5.3%
Net margin (TTM)3.6%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
54/ 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 Casey's General Stores, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CASY 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 54 / 100 for Casey's General Stores, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Casey's General Stores, Inc. has 4 segments (61.3% in Fuel); Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Casey's General Stores, Inc. has 7 moat types across 2 domains; Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Casey's General Stores, Inc.

Fuel

Market

Retail motor fuel sold through convenience-store fuel sites (gasoline and diesel)

Geography

United States (Casey's operating footprint; Midwest/South)

Customer

Motorists / consumers (in-store and pay-at-the-pump transactions)

Role

Fuel retailer (with some self-distribution/wholesale capabilities)

Revenue share

61.3%

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

Casey's General Stores, Inc.
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CASY - NASDAQ
ITW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$21B
$73.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
23.4%
43.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
5.3%
26.2%
Net margin (TTM)
3.6%
19.1%
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Specialty Retail
Industrial - Machinery
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Fuel
Automotive OEM
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
54 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustOperational Excellence

Casey's General Stores, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityDistribution ControlHabit DefaultSupply Chain ControlScope Economies

Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths

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

Segment mix

Casey's General Stores, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Prepared Food and Dispensed Beverage

Competitive

10.1%

Grocery and General Merchandise

Competitive

26%

Fuel

Competitive

61.3%

Other (wholesale fuel, car wash, lottery)

Competitive

2.6%

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?

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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.