VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Fastenal Company vs Global Payments Inc.

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

Fastenal Company

FAST · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$48.2B
Gross margin (TTM)45.2%
Operating margin (TTM)20.2%
Net margin (TTM)15.3%
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

Global Payments Inc.

GPN · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorFinancials
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-10
Moat score
62/ 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 Global Payments Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GPN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Global Payments Inc. leads (62 / 100 vs 57 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
  • Segment focus: Fastenal Company has 2 segments (55.7% in Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)); Global Payments Inc. has 2 segments (76.1% in Merchant Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Fastenal Company has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Global Payments Inc. has 6 across 4.

Primary market context

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%

Global Payments Inc.

Merchant Solutions

Market

Merchant acquiring and integrated payments (card-present and e-commerce)

Geography

Global

Customer

Merchants (SMB to enterprise) and software platforms

Role

Acquirer and payment processor

Revenue share

76.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Fastenal Company
Global Payments Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
FAST - NASDAQ
GPN - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$48.2B
$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
45.2%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
20.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
15.3%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Financials
Industry
Industrial - Distribution
n/a
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)
Merchant Solutions
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
57 / 100
62 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Network, Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-06
2026-01-10

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

Fastenal Company strengths

Service Field NetworkProcurement InertiaOperational Excellence

Global Payments Inc. strengths

Ecosystem ComplementsScale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsSwitching Costs GeneralCompliance Advantage

Segment mix

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%

Global Payments Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchant Solutions

Competitive

76.1%

Issuer Solutions

Oligopoly

24.6%

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.