VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. vs Pool 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)$51.6B
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

Pool Corporation

POOL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$8.8B
Gross margin (TTM)29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)11.1%
Net margin (TTM)7.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
56/ 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 Pool Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View POOL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. leads (62 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Pool Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Restaurant operations (company-owned Chipotle restaurants)); Pool Corporation has 1 segment (100% in Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Pool Corporation has 5 across 2.

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%

Pool Corporation

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Market

Wholesale distribution of swimming pool, irrigation/landscape, and related outdoor living products

Geography

North America (majority), with operations in Europe and Australia

Customer

Pool builders/remodelers, pool service/repair professionals, specialty pool retailers, irrigation/landscape contractors, commercial pool operators

Role

Distributor / wholesaler

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
Pool Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
CMG - New York Stock Exchange
POOL - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$51.6B
$8.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
25.7%
29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
16.4%
11.1%
Net margin (TTM)
13%
7.8%
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Restaurants
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Restaurant operations (company-owned Chipotle restaurants)
Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
62 / 100
56 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-26
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. strengths

Brand TrustSupply Chain ControlOperational ExcellenceHabit Default

Pool Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostScope EconomiesProcurement InertiaData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Restaurant operations (company-owned Chipotle restaurants)

Competitive

100%

Pool Corporation segments

Full profile >

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Competitive

100%

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.