VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

CSX Corporation vs Mastercard Incorporated

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

Mastercard Incorporated

MA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$507.2B
Gross margin (TTM)77.5%
Operating margin (TTM)57%
Net margin (TTM)45.3%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Credit Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
77/ 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 Mastercard Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Mastercard Incorporated leads (77 / 100 vs 74 / 100 for CSX Corporation).
  • Segment focus: CSX Corporation has 5 segments (61.2% in Merchandise (Rail)); Mastercard Incorporated has 2 segments (61.5% in Payment Network).
  • Moat breadth: CSX Corporation has 6 moat types across 2 domains; Mastercard Incorporated has 6 across 3.

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%

Mastercard Incorporated

Payment Network

Market

Four-party card payment network (switching, acceptance, and network-related services)

Geography

Global

Customer

Issuers, acquirers, merchants, account holders

Role

Network operator (authorization, clearing, settlement) and rules/standards steward

Revenue share

61.5%

Side-by-side metrics

CSX Corporation
Mastercard Incorporated
Ticker / Exchange
CSX - NASDAQ
MA - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$67.7B
$507.2B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
77.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
57%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
45.3%
Sector
Industrials
Financials
Industry
Railroads
Financial - Credit Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchandise (Rail)
Payment Network
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
29.7% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
77 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal
Network, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

CSX Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayCapex Knowhow ScaleOperational ExcellenceGeographic NaturalScale Economies Unit Cost

Mastercard Incorporated strengths

Two Sided NetworkClearing SettlementBrand TrustRegulated Standards PipeData Network EffectsData Workflow Lockin

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%

Mastercard Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Payment Network

Oligopoly

61.5%

Value-Added Services and Solutions

Competitive

38.5%

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.