VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Monday, January 5, 2026

Stock Comparison

Deutsche Boerse AG vs W.W. Grainger, Inc.

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

Deutsche Boerse AG

DB1 · Xetra

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorFinancials
Industry
CountryDE
Data as of2026-01-03
Moat score
81/ 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 Deutsche Boerse AG's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View DB1 analysis

W.W. Grainger, Inc.

GWW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$48.1B
Gross margin (TTM)39.1%
Operating margin (TTM)14.1%
Net margin (TTM)9.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
65/ 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 W.W. Grainger, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GWW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Deutsche Boerse AG leads (81 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for W.W. Grainger, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Deutsche Boerse AG has 8 segments (28.2% in Securities Services (Clearstream: ICSD/CSD settlement + custody)); W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 3 segments (79.9% in High-Touch Solutions N.A.).
  • Primary market structure: Duopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Deutsche Boerse AG has 12 moat types across 5 domains; W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

Deutsche Boerse AG

Securities Services (Clearstream: ICSD/CSD settlement + custody)

Market

Securities settlement and custody infrastructure (ICSD/CSD) for Eurobonds and domestic markets

Geography

Global (Eurobonds + multiple domestic markets)

Customer

Custodian banks, broker-dealers, central banks, institutional investors

Role

Settlement/custody infrastructure and asset servicing

Revenue share

28.2%

W.W. Grainger, Inc.

High-Touch Solutions N.A.

Market

MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) products distribution and value-added inventory/procurement solutions

Geography

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico)

Customer

Mid-size and large businesses with complex purchasing operations; also government and institutions

Role

Distributor / wholesaler + onsite inventory services

Revenue share

79.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Deutsche Boerse AG
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
DB1 - Xetra
GWW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$48.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
39.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
14.1%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
9.8%
Sector
Financials
Industrials
Industry
n/a
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
DE
US
Primary segment
Securities Services (Clearstream: ICSD/CSD settlement + custody)
High-Touch Solutions N.A.
Market structure
Duopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
81 / 100
65 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Network, Demand, Financial, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-03
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit CostData Workflow Lockin

Deutsche Boerse AG strengths

Regulated Standards PipeTwo Sided NetworkDe Facto StandardClearing SettlementBrand TrustInteroperability HubFloat PrepaymentSwitching Costs GeneralSuite BundlingFormat Lock In

W.W. Grainger, Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkScope EconomiesOperational Excellence

Segment mix

Deutsche Boerse AG segments

Full profile >

Financial Derivatives (Eurex trading + Eurex Clearing)

Oligopoly

22.4%

Commodities (EEX marketplaces + clearing)

Oligopoly

10.9%

Cash Equities (Xetra + Boerse Frankfurt)

Quasi-Monopoly

5.1%

FX & Digital Assets (360T + Crypto Finance)

Competitive

2.8%

Securities Services (Clearstream: ICSD/CSD settlement + custody)

Duopoly

28.2%

Fund Services (Vestima fund processing + Fund Centre distribution)

Oligopoly

8.5%

Software Solutions (SimCorp + Axioma Analytics)

Competitive

11.9%

ESG & Index (ISS STOXX: indices + ESG/governance data)

Oligopoly

10.1%

W.W. Grainger, Inc. segments

Full profile >

High-Touch Solutions N.A.

Competitive

79.9%

Endless Assortment

Competitive

18.3%

Other (Cromwell U.K. + captive insurance)

Competitive

1.8%

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.