VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Fastenal Company vs HCA Healthcare, 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

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

HCA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$106.5B
Gross margin (TTM)15.6%
Operating margin (TTM)15.6%
Net margin (TTM)8.6%
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
67/ 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 HCA Healthcare, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HCA analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: HCA Healthcare, Inc. leads (67 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
  • Segment focus: Fastenal Company has 3 segments (54.5% in Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)); HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Hospitals and related healthcare entities).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Fastenal Company has 5 moat types across 2 domains; HCA Healthcare, Inc. has 4 across 3.

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%

HCA Healthcare, Inc.

Hospitals and related healthcare entities

Market

Acute care hospitals and outpatient healthcare services

Geography

United States (multi-state) and England (United Kingdom)

Customer

Patients and third-party payers

Role

Provider operator

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

Fastenal Company
HCA Healthcare, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
FAST - Nasdaq Stock Market
HCA - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$106.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
15.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
15.6%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
8.6%
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)
Hospitals and related healthcare entities
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
60 / 100
67 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensitySwitching Costs GeneralScope Economies

Fastenal Company strengths

Operational ExcellenceData Workflow Lockin

HCA Healthcare, Inc. strengths

Permits Rights Of Way

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%

HCA Healthcare, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Hospitals and related healthcare entities

Oligopoly

100%

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.