VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

Canadian National Railway Company vs W.W. Grainger, Inc.

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

Canadian National Railway Company

CNR · Toronto Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$61.2B
SectorIndustrials
CountryCA
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
97/ 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 Canadian National Railway Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CNR analysis

W.W. Grainger, Inc.

GWW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
65/ 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 W.W. Grainger, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GWW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Canadian National Railway Company leads (97 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for W.W. Grainger, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Canadian National Railway Company has 2 segments (96.2% in Rail freight transportation network); W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 3 segments (79.9% in High-Touch Solutions N.A.).
  • Primary market structure: Duopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Canadian National Railway Company has 4 moat types across 2 domains; W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

Canadian National Railway Company

Rail freight transportation network

Market

Canadian Class I freight rail transportation

Geography

Canada (with U.S. cross-border corridors)

Customer

Industrial shippers, intermodal customers, and auto supply chains

Role

Line-haul freight railway (Class I)

Revenue share

96.2%

W.W. Grainger, Inc.

High-Touch Solutions N.A.

Market

MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) products distribution and value-added inventory/procurement solutions

Geography

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico)

Customer

Mid-size and large businesses with complex purchasing operations; also government and institutions

Role

Distributor / wholesaler + onsite inventory services

Revenue share

79.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Canadian National Railway Company
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CNR - Toronto Stock Exchange
GWW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$61.2B
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
HQ country
CA
US
Primary segment
Rail freight transportation network
High-Touch Solutions N.A.
Market structure
Duopoly
Competitive
Market share
50%-56% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
4,031
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
97 / 100
65 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit CostScope Economies

Canadian National Railway Company strengths

Permits Rights Of WayPhysical Network Density

W.W. Grainger, Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinOperational Excellence

Segment mix

Canadian National Railway Company segments

Full profile >

Rail freight transportation network

Duopoly

96.2%

Non-rail logistics and ancillary services

Competitive

3.8%

W.W. Grainger, Inc. segments

Full profile >

High-Touch Solutions N.A.

Competitive

79.9%

Endless Assortment

Competitive

18.3%

Other (Cromwell U.K. + captive insurance)

Competitive

1.8%

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.