VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

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

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

Waste Management, Inc.

WM · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$92.9B
Gross margin (TTM)29.1%
Operating margin (TTM)18.3%
Net margin (TTM)10.7%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryWaste Management
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 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)); 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 4 moat types across 2 domains; Waste Management, Inc. has 7 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%

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
WM - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$53.1B
$92.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
45%
29.1%
Operating margin (TTM)
20.2%
18.3%
Net margin (TTM)
15.4%
10.7%
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Industrial - Distribution
Waste Management
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Core industrial & construction supplies distribution (branches, Onsite, eBusiness excl. FMI)
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
57 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational Excellence

Fastenal Company strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinProcurement Inertia

Waste Management, Inc. strengths

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

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%

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%

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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.