VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Canadian National Railway Company vs Watsco, 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)$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

Watsco, Inc.

WSO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)10.2%
Net margin (TTM)7.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
72/ 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 Watsco, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WSO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Canadian National Railway Company leads (97 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Watsco, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Canadian National Railway Company has 2 segments (96.2% in Rail freight transportation network); Watsco, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in HVAC/R Distribution).
  • Primary market structure: Duopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Canadian National Railway Company has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Watsco, Inc. has 4 across 3.

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%

Watsco, Inc.

HVAC/R Distribution

Market

HVAC/R equipment, parts and supplies distribution

Geography

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico; export to Latin America/Caribbean)

Customer

Licensed HVAC and refrigeration contractors (residential & commercial)

Role

Wholesale distributor

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Canadian National Railway Company
Watsco, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CNR - Toronto Stock Exchange
WSO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$85.7B
$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
48.8%
28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
37.7%
10.2%
Net margin (TTM)
26.9%
7.4%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Railroads
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
CA
US
Primary segment
Rail freight transportation network
HVAC/R Distribution
Market structure
Duopoly
Competitive
Market share
50%-56% (estimated)
9%-12% (implied)
HHI estimate
4,031
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
97 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit Cost

Canadian National Railway Company strengths

Permits Rights Of WayScope Economies

Watsco, Inc. strengths

Contractual ExclusivityData 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%

Watsco, Inc. segments

Full profile >

HVAC/R Distribution

Competitive

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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

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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.