VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Canadian National Railway Company vs Pool Corporation

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)$85.7B
Gross margin (TTM)48.8%
Operating margin (TTM)37.7%
Net margin (TTM)26.9%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryRailroads
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

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: Canadian National Railway Company leads (97 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Pool Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Canadian National Railway Company has 2 segments (96.2% in Rail freight transportation network); Pool Corporation has 1 segment (100% in Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)).
  • Primary market structure: Duopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Canadian National Railway Company has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Pool Corporation 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%

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

Canadian National Railway Company
Pool Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
CNR - Toronto Stock Exchange
POOL - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$85.7B
$8.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
48.8%
29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
37.7%
11.1%
Net margin (TTM)
26.9%
7.8%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Railroads
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
CA
US
Primary segment
Rail freight transportation network
Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)
Market structure
Duopoly
Competitive
Market share
50%-56% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
4,031
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
97 / 100
56 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostScope Economies

Canadian National Railway Company strengths

Permits Rights Of Way

Pool Corporation strengths

Procurement InertiaData Workflow Lockin

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%

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.