VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

CSX Corporation vs Thermo Fisher Scientific 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

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

TMO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$224.1B
Gross margin (TTM)39.8%
Operating margin (TTM)18.2%
Net margin (TTM)15%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Diagnostics & Research
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
Moat score
64/ 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 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View TMO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: CSX Corporation leads (74 / 100 vs 64 / 100 for Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.).
  • Segment focus: CSX Corporation has 5 segments (61.2% in Merchandise (Rail)); Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has 4 segments (53.6% in Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: CSX Corporation has 6 moat types across 2 domains; Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has 8 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%

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services

Market

Laboratory supplies distribution/market channel plus outsourced biopharma services (CDMO/CRO)

Geography

Global

Customer

Pharma & biotech; academic/government labs; industrial and clinical laboratories

Role

Distributor/market channel and outsourced services provider

Revenue share

53.6%

Side-by-side metrics

CSX Corporation
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CSX - NASDAQ
TMO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$67.7B
$224.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
39.8%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
18.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
15%
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Railroads
Medical - Diagnostics & Research
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Merchandise (Rail)
Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
64 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

CSX Corporation strengths

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

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesFormat Lock InBrand TrustService Field NetworkRegulated Standards PipeDistribution ControlProcurement InertiaCapacity Moat

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%

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. segments

Full profile >

Life Sciences Solutions

Oligopoly

19%

Analytical Instruments

Oligopoly

17%

Specialty Diagnostics

Oligopoly

10.4%

Laboratory Products and Biopharma Services

Competitive

53.6%

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.