VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Fastenal Company vs Intercontinental Exchange, 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

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

ICE · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)55.4%
Operating margin (TTM)38.1%
Net margin (TTM)25.2%
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
87/ 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 Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ICE analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. leads (87 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
  • Segment focus: Fastenal Company has 3 segments (54.5% in Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)); Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. has 3 segments (53.4% in Exchanges).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Fastenal Company has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Intercontinental Exchange, 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%

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.

Exchanges

Market

Derivatives, cash equities, and listings exchanges plus central clearing (CCP) services

Geography

Global

Customer

Market participants (banks, broker-dealers, asset managers, proprietary traders) and issuers

Role

Exchange operator + clearing house (CCP)

Revenue share

53.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Fastenal Company
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
FAST - Nasdaq Stock Market
ICE - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
55.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
38.1%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
25.2%
Sector
Industrials
Financials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)
Exchanges
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
75% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Strong
Moat score
60 / 100
87 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Network, Legal, Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensityData Workflow Lockin

Fastenal Company strengths

Operational ExcellenceSwitching Costs GeneralScope Economies

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. strengths

Clearing SettlementConcession LicenseTwo Sided NetworkBrand TrustData Network EffectsInteroperability HubStandards RegistryCompliance Advantage

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%

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Exchanges

Oligopoly

53.4%

Fixed Income and Data Services

Oligopoly

24.8%

Mortgage Technology

Oligopoly

21.8%

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.