VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

CSX Corporation vs Synopsys, 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

Synopsys, Inc.

SNPS · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$90.8B
Gross margin (TTM)73.1%
Operating margin (TTM)13%
Net margin (TTM)18.9%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySoftware - Infrastructure
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
85/ 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 Synopsys, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SNPS analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Synopsys, Inc. leads (85 / 100 vs 74 / 100 for CSX Corporation).
  • Segment focus: CSX Corporation has 5 segments (61.2% in Merchandise (Rail)); Synopsys, Inc. has 2 segments (75.2% in Design Automation).
  • Moat breadth: CSX Corporation has 6 moat types across 2 domains; Synopsys, Inc. has 5 across 2.

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%

Synopsys, Inc.

Design Automation

Market

Electronic design automation (EDA) software and silicon-to-systems simulation & analysis tools

Geography

Global

Customer

Semiconductor and systems companies (chip/system designers)

Role

Software + hardware tooling provider / platform

Revenue share

75.2%

Side-by-side metrics

CSX Corporation
Synopsys, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CSX - NASDAQ
SNPS - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$67.7B
$90.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
73.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
13%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
18.9%
Sector
Industrials
Technology
Industry
Railroads
Software - Infrastructure
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchandise (Rail)
Design Automation
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
30%-32% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
2,140
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
85 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow Scale

CSX Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayOperational ExcellenceGeographic NaturalScale Economies Unit Cost

Synopsys, Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralSuite BundlingDesign In QualificationInstalled Base Consumables

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%

Synopsys, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Design Automation

Oligopoly

75.2%

Design IP

Oligopoly

24.8%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

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.