VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

CSX Corporation vs LPL Financial Holdings Inc.

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

CSX Corporation

CSX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$67.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
IndustryRailroads
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
74/ 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 CSX Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CSX analysis

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.

LPLA · Nasdaq

Market cap (USD)$29B
Gross margin (TTM)24.1%
Operating margin (TTM)9.5%
Net margin (TTM)5.4%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Capital Markets
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
79/ 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 LPL Financial Holdings Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LPLA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: LPL Financial Holdings Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 74 / 100 for CSX Corporation).
  • Segment focus: CSX Corporation has 5 segments (61.2% in Merchandise (Rail)); LPL Financial Holdings Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Advisor Platform).
  • Moat breadth: CSX Corporation has 6 moat types across 2 domains; LPL Financial Holdings Inc. has 6 across 4.

Primary market context

CSX Corporation

Merchandise (Rail)

Market

Eastern U.S. rail freight transportation (merchandise carload)

Geography

Eastern United States (CSX network; interchange to other railroads)

Customer

Industrial, agricultural, automotive and consumer goods shippers; logistics providers

Role

Common-carrier freight railroad (line-haul + switching/terminal)

Revenue share

61.2%

LPL Financial Holdings Inc.

Advisor Platform

Market

Advisor-mediated wealth management platform (independent broker-dealer + RIA custody/clearing)

Geography

United States

Customer

Financial advisors and financial institutions

Role

Platform / broker-dealer / custodian

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

CSX Corporation
LPL Financial Holdings Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CSX - NASDAQ
LPLA - Nasdaq
Market cap (USD)
$67.7B
$29B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
24.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
9.5%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
5.4%
Sector
Industrials
Financials
Industry
Railroads
Financial - Capital Markets
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchandise (Rail)
Advisor Platform
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
23%-25% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand, Legal, Network
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational ExcellenceScale Economies Unit Cost

CSX Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayCapex Knowhow ScaleGeographic Natural

LPL Financial Holdings Inc. strengths

Suite BundlingCompliance AdvantageTwo Sided NetworkSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

CSX Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise (Rail)

Oligopoly

61.2%

Intermodal (Rail)

Competitive

14.1%

Coal (Rail)

Oligopoly

15.5%

Trucking (Quality Carriers)

Competitive

5.8%

Other Revenue (Rail/Ancillary)

Competitive

3.4%

LPL Financial Holdings Inc. segments

Full profile >

Advisor Platform

Oligopoly

100%

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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.