VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Canadian National Railway Company vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

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)$86.3B
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

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

VRTX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
IndustryBiotechnology
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-08
Moat score
99/ 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 Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VRTX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated leads (99 / 100 vs 97 / 100 for Canadian National Railway Company).
  • Segment focus: Canadian National Railway Company has 2 segments (96.2% in Rail freight transportation network); Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 3 segments (99.9% in Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators).
  • Primary market structure: Duopoly vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Canadian National Railway Company has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has 7 across 4.

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%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Market

CFTR modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis

Geography

U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada

Customer

Patients (via specialty pharmacies/payers); CF care centers

Role

Drug developer/manufacturer

Revenue share

99.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Canadian National Railway Company
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
CNR - Toronto Stock Exchange
VRTX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$86.3B
$119B
Gross margin (TTM)
48.8%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
37.7%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
26.9%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Railroads
Biotechnology
HQ country
CA
US
Primary segment
Rail freight transportation network
Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators
Market structure
Duopoly
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
50%-56% (estimated)
70%-78% (reported)
HHI estimate
4,031
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
97 / 100
99 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply
Legal, Demand, Financial, Supply
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-08

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Canadian National Railway Company strengths

Permits Rights Of WayPhysical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostScope Economies

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated strengths

IP Choke PointGovernment Contracting RelationshipsSwitching Costs GeneralBenchmark Pricing PowerRegulated Standards PipeService Field NetworkCapacity Moat

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%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Cystic Fibrosis CFTR Modulators

Quasi-Monopoly

99.9%

Hemoglobinopathies Gene Therapy (CASGEVY)

Oligopoly

0.1%

Acute Pain (JOURNAVX)

Competitive

n/a

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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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.