VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 3, 2026

Stock Comparison

Colgate-Palmolive Company vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

Colgate-Palmolive Company

CL · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$63B
Gross margin (TTM)60.2%
Operating margin (TTM)21.7%
Net margin (TTM)14.5%
SectorConsumer
IndustryHousehold & Personal Products
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
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 Colgate-Palmolive Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CL analysis

Norfolk Southern Corporation

NSC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
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: Colgate-Palmolive Company leads (74 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Colgate-Palmolive Company has 4 segments (43% in Oral Care); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Moat breadth: Colgate-Palmolive Company has 2 moat types across 2 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Colgate-Palmolive Company

Oral Care

Market

Oral care products (toothpaste, manual toothbrushes, mouthwash)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers; also dentists and oral health professionals (pharma dental products)

Role

Branded consumer products manufacturer

Revenue share

43%

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

Colgate-Palmolive Company
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
CL - New York Stock Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$63B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
60.2%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
21.7%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
14.5%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Household & Personal Products
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Oral Care
Merchandise
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
41.4% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Colgate-Palmolive Company strengths

Brand TrustDistribution Control

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Colgate-Palmolive Company segments

Full profile >

Oral Care

Oligopoly

43%

Personal Care

Competitive

18%

Home Care

Competitive

17%

Pet Nutrition

Oligopoly

22%

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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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.