VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Caterpillar Inc. vs CSX Corporation

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

Caterpillar Inc.

CAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$277.7B
Gross margin (TTM)33.9%
Operating margin (TTM)17.7%
Net margin (TTM)14.3%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAgricultural - Machinery
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-25
Moat score
68/ 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 Caterpillar Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CAT analysis

CSX Corporation

CSX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$67.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
IndustryRailroads
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
74/ 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 CSX Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CSX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: CSX Corporation leads (74 / 100 vs 68 / 100 for Caterpillar Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Caterpillar Inc. has 5 segments (40.7% in Energy & Transportation); CSX Corporation has 5 segments (61.2% in Merchandise (Rail)).
  • Moat breadth: Caterpillar Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; CSX Corporation has 6 across 2.

Primary market context

Caterpillar Inc.

Energy & Transportation

Market

Off-highway engines, power generation, turbines, locomotives and related services

Geography

Global

Customer

Energy companies, industrial customers, OEMs, rail and marine operators

Role

OEM + aftermarket parts/service

Revenue share

40.7%

CSX Corporation

Merchandise (Rail)

Market

Eastern U.S. rail freight transportation (merchandise carload)

Geography

Eastern United States (CSX network; interchange to other railroads)

Customer

Industrial, agricultural, automotive and consumer goods shippers; logistics providers

Role

Common-carrier freight railroad (line-haul + switching/terminal)

Revenue share

61.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Caterpillar Inc.
CSX Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
CAT - New York Stock Exchange
CSX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$277.7B
$67.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
33.9%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
17.7%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
14.3%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Agricultural - Machinery
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Energy & Transportation
Merchandise (Rail)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
68 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Financial, Network
Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-25
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow Scale

Caterpillar Inc. strengths

Distribution ControlInstalled Base ConsumablesBrand TrustService Field NetworkDesign In QualificationSuite BundlingUnderwriting Risk PoolingEcosystem Complements

CSX Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayOperational ExcellenceGeographic NaturalScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Caterpillar Inc. segments

Full profile >

Construction Industries

Oligopoly

35.9%

Resource Industries

Oligopoly

17.5%

Energy & Transportation

Oligopoly

40.7%

Financial Products

Competitive

5.3%

All Other

Competitive

0.6%

CSX Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise (Rail)

Oligopoly

61.2%

Intermodal (Rail)

Competitive

14.1%

Coal (Rail)

Oligopoly

15.5%

Trucking (Quality Carriers)

Competitive

5.8%

Other Revenue (Rail/Ancillary)

Competitive

3.4%

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.