VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Stock Comparison

Emerson Electric Co. vs Fastenal Company

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

Emerson Electric Co.

EMR · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$83.6B
Gross margin (TTM)51.7%
Operating margin (TTM)18%
Net margin (TTM)12.7%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
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 Emerson Electric Co.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View EMR analysis

Fastenal Company

FAST · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$53.1B
Gross margin (TTM)45%
Operating margin (TTM)20.2%
Net margin (TTM)15.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
57/ 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: Emerson Electric Co. leads (70 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
  • Segment focus: Emerson Electric Co. has 6 segments (24.2% in Final Control); Fastenal Company has 2 segments (55.7% in Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Emerson Electric Co. has 10 moat types across 4 domains; Fastenal Company has 4 across 2.

Primary market context

Emerson Electric Co.

Final Control

Market

Industrial control valves, isolation/shutoff valves, pressure relief & safety valves, actuators and regulators

Geography

Global

Customer

Process & hybrid manufacturers

Role

Automation components supplier

Revenue share

24.2%

Fastenal Company

Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)

Market

Wholesale distribution of industrial and construction supplies (fasteners, safety, tools, and other MRO/OEM consumables)

Geography

Primarily North America (with growing international presence)

Customer

Manufacturing (OEM and MRO), non-residential construction, and other commercial customers

Role

Distributor

Revenue share

55.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Emerson Electric Co.
Fastenal Company
Ticker / Exchange
EMR - New York Stock Exchange
FAST - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$83.6B
$53.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
51.7%
45%
Operating margin (TTM)
18%
20.2%
Net margin (TTM)
12.7%
15.4%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Industrial - Machinery
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Final Control
Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Weak
Moat score
70 / 100
57 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal, Network
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-02
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkData Workflow Lockin

Emerson Electric Co. strengths

Installed Base ConsumablesBrand TrustDesign In QualificationCompliance AdvantageDistribution ControlSuite BundlingEcosystem ComplementsInteroperability Hub

Fastenal Company strengths

Procurement InertiaOperational Excellence

Segment mix

Emerson Electric Co. segments

Full profile >

Final Control

Oligopoly

24.2%

Measurement & Analytical

Oligopoly

22.9%

Discrete Automation

Competitive

13.9%

Safety & Productivity

Competitive

7.5%

Control Systems & Software

Oligopoly

23.2%

Test & Measurement

Competitive

8.2%

Fastenal Company segments

Full profile >

Fastenal Managed Inventory (FMI)

Competitive

44.3%

Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)

Competitive

55.7%

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.