VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Stock Comparison

Fastenal Company vs Illinois Tool Works Inc.

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

Fastenal Company

FAST · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$53.1B
Gross margin (TTM)45%
Operating margin (TTM)20.2%
Net margin (TTM)15.4%
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

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

ITW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$85B
Gross margin (TTM)44%
Operating margin (TTM)26.3%
Net margin (TTM)19.1%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
66/ 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 Illinois Tool Works Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ITW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Illinois Tool Works Inc. leads (66 / 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)); Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Fastenal Company has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 across 3.

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%

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Automotive OEM

Market

Automotive OEM engineered components and fasteners

Geography

Global

Customer

Automotive OEMs and Tier suppliers

Role

Component supplier

Revenue share

20%

Side-by-side metrics

Fastenal Company
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
FAST - NASDAQ
ITW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$53.1B
$85B
Gross margin (TTM)
45%
44%
Operating margin (TTM)
20.2%
26.3%
Net margin (TTM)
15.4%
19.1%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Industrial - Distribution
Industrial - Machinery
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)
Automotive OEM
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
57 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkOperational Excellence

Fastenal Company strengths

Data Workflow LockinProcurement Inertia

Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationBrand TrustInstalled Base ConsumablesSwitching Costs GeneralFormulation and application engineering know-howIP Choke Point

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%

Illinois Tool Works Inc. segments

Full profile >

Automotive OEM

Competitive

20%

Food Equipment

Oligopoly

16.6%

Test & Measurement and Electronics

Oligopoly

17.7%

Welding

Oligopoly

11.6%

Polymers & Fluids

Competitive

11.1%

Construction Products

Competitive

12%

Specialty Products

Oligopoly

10.9%

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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.