VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Thursday, January 1, 2026
Stock Comparison
Caterpillar Inc. vs W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Caterpillar Inc.
CAT · New York Stock Exchange
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 analysisW.W. Grainger, Inc.
GWW · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into W.W. Grainger, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View GWW analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Caterpillar Inc. leads (68 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for W.W. Grainger, Inc.).
- Segment focus: Caterpillar Inc. has 5 segments (40.7% in Energy & Transportation); W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 3 segments (79.9% in High-Touch Solutions N.A.).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Caterpillar Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 5 across 2.
Primary market context
Caterpillar Inc.
Energy & Transportation
Off-highway engines, power generation, turbines, locomotives and related services
Global
Energy companies, industrial customers, OEMs, rail and marine operators
OEM + aftermarket parts/service
40.7%
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
High-Touch Solutions N.A.
MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) products distribution and value-added inventory/procurement solutions
North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico)
Mid-size and large businesses with complex purchasing operations; also government and institutions
Distributor / wholesaler + onsite inventory services
79.9%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Caterpillar Inc. strengths
W.W. Grainger, Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Caterpillar Inc. segments
Full profile >Construction Industries
Oligopoly
Resource Industries
Oligopoly
Energy & Transportation
Oligopoly
Financial Products
Competitive
All Other
Competitive
W.W. Grainger, Inc. segments
Full profile >High-Touch Solutions N.A.
Competitive
Endless Assortment
Competitive
Other (Cromwell U.K. + captive insurance)
Competitive
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View the moat stocks listCuration & 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.