VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.

CMG · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$50.6B
Gross margin (TTM)25.7%
Operating margin (TTM)16.4%
Net margin (TTM)13%
SectorConsumer
IndustryRestaurants
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
62/ 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 Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CMG 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: Norfolk Southern Corporation leads (70 / 100 vs 62 / 100 for Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Restaurant operations (company-owned Chipotle restaurants)); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.

Restaurant operations (company-owned Chipotle restaurants)

Market

Fast-casual restaurants (Mexican-inspired, made-to-order)

Geography

Primarily United States; limited international presence

Customer

Consumers

Role

Company-operated restaurant operator

Revenue share

100%

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

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
CMG - New York Stock Exchange
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$50.6B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
25.7%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
16.4%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
13%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Restaurants
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Restaurant operations (company-owned Chipotle restaurants)
Merchandise
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
62 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-26
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. strengths

Brand TrustSupply Chain ControlOperational ExcellenceHabit Default

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Restaurant operations (company-owned Chipotle restaurants)

Competitive

100%

Norfolk Southern Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise

Oligopoly

62%

Intermodal

Oligopoly

25%

Coal

Oligopoly

13%

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.