VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Cintas Corporation vs Watsco, Inc.

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

Cintas Corporation

CTAS · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$74.7B
Gross margin (TTM)50.3%
Operating margin (TTM)23%
Net margin (TTM)17.6%
SectorIndustrials
IndustrySpecialty Business Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
63/ 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 Cintas Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CTAS 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: Watsco, Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Cintas Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Cintas Corporation has 3 segments (77.1% in Uniform Rental and Facility Services); Watsco, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in HVAC/R Distribution).
  • Moat breadth: Cintas Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Watsco, Inc. has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Cintas Corporation

Uniform Rental and Facility Services

Market

B2B uniform rental and route-based facility services (entrance mats, restroom supplies, towels/mops, etc.)

Geography

North America (primarily United States; also Canada and Latin America)

Customer

Businesses (SMB to large enterprise) via local delivery routes and branches

Role

Service operator / rental provider (route-based distribution and processing network)

Revenue share

77.1%

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

Cintas Corporation
Watsco, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CTAS - NASDAQ
WSO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$74.7B
$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
50.3%
28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
23%
10.2%
Net margin (TTM)
17.6%
7.4%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Specialty Business Services
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Uniform Rental and Facility Services
HVAC/R Distribution
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
9%-12% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Cintas Corporation strengths

Service Field NetworkProcurement InertiaSuite BundlingOperational ExcellenceSwitching Costs General

Watsco, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityScale Economies Unit CostData Workflow Lockin

Segment mix

Cintas Corporation segments

Full profile >

Uniform Rental and Facility Services

Competitive

77.1%

First Aid and Safety Services

Competitive

11.8%

All Other (Fire Protection Services and Uniform Direct Sale)

Competitive

11.1%

Watsco, Inc. segments

Full profile >

HVAC/R Distribution

Competitive

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.