VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation vs Fastenal Company

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

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

EW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$50B
Gross margin (TTM)78.3%
Operating margin (TTM)26.6%
Net margin (TTM)23.2%
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
82/ 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 Edwards Lifesciences Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View EW 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: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation leads (82 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
  • Segment focus: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation has 3 segments (75.5% in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)); Fastenal Company has 3 segments (54.5% in Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Fastenal Company has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

Market

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) devices

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals and structural heart centers

Role

Medical device manufacturer

Revenue share

75.5%

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

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
Fastenal Company
Ticker / Exchange
EW - New York Stock Exchange
FAST - Nasdaq Stock Market
Market cap (USD)
$50B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
78.3%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
26.6%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
23.2%
n/a
Sector
Healthcare
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
60%-73% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
82 / 100
60 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation strengths

Brand TrustTraining Org Change CostsRegulated Standards PipeIP Choke PointCompliance AdvantageSupply Chain Control

Fastenal Company strengths

Physical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceSwitching Costs GeneralData Workflow LockinScope Economies

Segment mix

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation segments

Full profile >

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

Oligopoly

75.5%

Transcatheter Mitral and Tricuspid Therapies (TMTT)

Competitive

6.5%

Surgical Structural Heart

Oligopoly

18%

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?

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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.