VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Fastenal Company vs Alphabet Inc.

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

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

Alphabet Inc.

GOOGL · The Nasdaq Stock Market

Market cap (USD)$3.7T
Gross margin (TTM)59.2%
Operating margin (TTM)32.2%
Net margin (TTM)32.2%
SectorCommunication Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
86/ 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 Alphabet Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GOOGL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Alphabet Inc. leads (86 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
  • Segment focus: Fastenal Company has 3 segments (54.5% in Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)); Alphabet Inc. has 6 segments (56.6% in Google Search & other (Advertising)).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Fastenal Company has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Alphabet Inc. has 10 across 4.

Primary market context

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%

Alphabet Inc.

Google Search & other (Advertising)

Market

Search advertising (intent-based digital ads)

Geography

Global

Customer

Advertisers (SMB to enterprise)

Role

Ad platform / publisher

Revenue share

56.6%

Side-by-side metrics

Fastenal Company
Alphabet Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
FAST - Nasdaq Stock Market
GOOGL - The Nasdaq Stock Market
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$3.7T
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
59.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
32.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
32.2%
Sector
Industrials
Communication Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)
Google Search & other (Advertising)
Market structure
Competitive
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
88%-91% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
8,115
Pricing power
Weak
Strong
Moat score
60 / 100
86 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Network, Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-21

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational ExcellenceSwitching Costs General

Fastenal Company strengths

Physical Network DensityData Workflow LockinScope Economies

Alphabet Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsHabit DefaultTwo Sided NetworkContent Rights CurrencyDefault OS GatewayCapex Knowhow ScaleEcosystem ComplementsIncubation & patient capital

Segment mix

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%

Alphabet Inc. segments

Full profile >

Google Search & other (Advertising)

Quasi-Monopoly

56.6%

YouTube (Advertising)

Oligopoly

10.3%

Google Network (Advertising)

Competitive

8.7%

Google Subscriptions, Platforms & Devices

Quasi-Monopoly

11.5%

Google Cloud

Oligopoly

12.4%

Other Bets

Competitive

0.5%

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.