VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Crown Castle Inc. vs McDonald's Corporation

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

Crown Castle Inc.

CCI · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$38.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorReal Estate
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
84/ 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 Crown Castle Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CCI analysis

McDonald's Corporation

MCD · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$216.1B
Gross margin (TTM)57.4%
Operating margin (TTM)46.1%
Net margin (TTM)32%
SectorConsumer
IndustryRestaurants
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
80/ 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 McDonald's Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MCD analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Crown Castle Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 80 / 100 for McDonald's Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Crown Castle Inc. has 2 segments (67% in Towers); McDonald's Corporation has 3 segments (48.7% in International Operated Markets).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Crown Castle Inc. has 3 moat types across 3 domains; McDonald's Corporation has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

Crown Castle Inc.

Towers

Market

U.S. macrocell tower leasing (wireless site rental)

Geography

United States

Customer

Mobile network operators

Role

Infrastructure owner/lessor

Revenue share

67%

McDonald's Corporation

International Operated Markets

Market

Quick-service restaurants and informal eating out (IEO)

Geography

International operated markets (e.g., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, U.K.)

Customer

Consumers (end customers) and franchisees (B2B system partners)

Role

Franchisor / restaurant operator

Revenue share

48.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Crown Castle Inc.
McDonald's Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
CCI - New York Stock Exchange
MCD - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$38.7B
$216.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
57.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
46.1%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
32%
Sector
Real Estate
Consumer
Industry
n/a
Restaurants
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Towers
International Operated Markets
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
16%-26% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
84 / 100
80 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensityLong Term Contracts

Crown Castle Inc. strengths

Permits Rights Of Way

McDonald's Corporation strengths

Brand TrustDistribution ControlOperational Excellence

Segment mix

Crown Castle Inc. segments

Full profile >

Towers

Oligopoly

67%

Fiber (small cells + fiber solutions)

Competitive

33%

McDonald's Corporation segments

Full profile >

U.S.

Competitive

41%

International Operated Markets

Competitive

48.7%

International Developmental Licensed Markets & Corporate

Competitive

10.3%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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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.