VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Fastenal Company vs Waste Management, 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

Waste Management, Inc.

WM · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)28.9%
Operating margin (TTM)17.6%
Net margin (TTM)10.4%
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
79/ 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 Waste Management, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WM analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Waste Management, Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Fastenal Company).
  • Segment focus: Fastenal Company has 3 segments (54.5% in Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)); Waste Management, Inc. has 4 segments (82.2% in Collection and Disposal).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Fastenal Company has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Waste Management, Inc. has 7 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%

Waste Management, Inc.

Collection and Disposal

Market

Municipal, commercial, and industrial solid waste collection, transfer, and landfill disposal

Geography

North America (primarily US and Canada)

Customer

Municipalities and end-customers (residential, commercial, industrial) via direct and contract channels

Role

Integrated hauler + transfer + landfill owner/operator

Revenue share

82.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Fastenal Company
Waste Management, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
FAST - Nasdaq Stock Market
WM - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
28.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
17.6%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
10.4%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Branch-based distribution (in-market branches)
Collection and Disposal
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Strong
Moat score
60 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensityOperational Excellence

Fastenal Company strengths

Switching Costs GeneralData Workflow LockinScope Economies

Waste Management, Inc. strengths

Permits Rights Of WayCapacity MoatPricing power via yield management and contracted rate actionsPreferential Input AccessRegulated Standards Pipe

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%

Waste Management, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Collection and Disposal

Oligopoly

82.2%

Recycling Processing and Sales

Competitive

6%

WM Renewable Energy

Competitive

1.7%

WM Healthcare Solutions

Oligopoly

10%

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.