VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Equifax Inc. vs Fastenal Company

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

Equifax Inc.

EFX · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)56.3%
Operating margin (TTM)18.5%
Net margin (TTM)11.1%
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
70/ 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 Equifax Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View EFX analysis

Fastenal Company

FAST · Nasdaq Stock Market

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
60/ 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 Fastenal Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View FAST analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Equifax Inc. leads (70 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
  • Segment focus: Equifax Inc. has 3 segments (42.8% in Workforce Solutions); Fastenal Company has 3 segments (54.5% in Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Equifax Inc. has 3 moat types across 3 domains; Fastenal Company has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

Equifax Inc.

Workforce Solutions

Market

Income & employment verification and employer HR compliance services

Geography

Primarily U.S. (with smaller international offerings)

Customer

Employers, lenders, government agencies, and credentialed verifiers

Role

Payroll-fed data & verification intermediary

Revenue share

42.8%

Fastenal Company

Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)

Market

Industrial & construction supplies distribution (MRO/OEM consumables) via local branches

Geography

North America (primary) + select international

Customer

B2B

Role

Distributor / MRO supplier

Revenue share

54.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Equifax Inc.
Fastenal Company
Ticker / Exchange
EFX - New York Stock Exchange
FAST - Nasdaq Stock Market
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
56.3%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
18.5%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
11.1%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Workforce Solutions
Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Weak
Moat score
70 / 100
60 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Legal
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-26
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

Equifax Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsCompliance Advantage

Fastenal Company strengths

Physical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceSwitching Costs GeneralScope Economies

Segment mix

Equifax Inc. segments

Full profile >

Workforce Solutions

Oligopoly

42.8%

U.S. Information Solutions

Oligopoly

33.3%

International

Competitive

23.8%

Fastenal Company segments

Full profile >

Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)

Competitive

54.5%

Onsite solutions (embedded customer locations)

Competitive

42.4%

Other / non-traditional sales (services & custom manufacturing)

Competitive

3.1%

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.