VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

CDW Corporation vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

CDW Corporation

CDW · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$17.4B
Gross margin (TTM)21.6%
Operating margin (TTM)7.4%
Net margin (TTM)4.8%
SectorTechnology
IndustryInformation Technology Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
52/ 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 CDW Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CDW analysis

Norfolk Southern Corporation

NSC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$64.6B
Gross margin (TTM)34.1%
Operating margin (TTM)34.1%
Net margin (TTM)24.2%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryRailroads
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
70/ 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 Norfolk Southern Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NSC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Norfolk Southern Corporation leads (70 / 100 vs 52 / 100 for CDW Corporation).
  • Segment focus: CDW Corporation has 4 segments (42.1% in Corporate); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: CDW Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

CDW Corporation

Corporate

Market

IT solutions provider / value-added reseller (VAR) + services for U.S. private-sector businesses (250+ employees)

Geography

United States

Customer

Private-sector enterprises (mid-market and large)

Role

Value-added reseller / systems integrator

Revenue share

42.1%

Norfolk Southern Corporation

Merchandise

Market

Eastern U.S. freight rail transportation for industrial & consumer goods

Geography

United States (Southeast/East/Midwest; NS network + interchanges)

Customer

Manufacturers, producers, and distributors

Role

Rail carrier

Revenue share

62%

Side-by-side metrics

CDW Corporation
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
CDW - NASDAQ
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$17.4B
$64.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
21.6%
34.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
7.4%
34.1%
Net margin (TTM)
4.8%
24.2%
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
Information Technology Services
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Corporate
Merchandise
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
52 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2026-01-06
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

CDW Corporation strengths

Service Field NetworkScope EconomiesPreferential Input AccessProcurement InertiaOperational ExcellenceGovernment Contracting Relationships

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

CDW Corporation segments

Full profile >

Corporate

Competitive

42.1%

Small Business

Competitive

7.3%

Public

Competitive

38.8%

Other (UK & Canada)

Competitive

11.8%

Norfolk Southern Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise

Oligopoly

62%

Intermodal

Oligopoly

25%

Coal

Oligopoly

13%

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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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.