VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

FactSet Research Systems Inc. vs Watsco, Inc.

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

FactSet Research Systems Inc.

FDS · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$10.8B
Gross margin (TTM)52.3%
Operating margin (TTM)31.7%
Net margin (TTM)25.4%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Data & Stock Exchanges
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
85/ 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 FactSet Research Systems Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View FDS analysis

Watsco, Inc.

WSO · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)10.2%
Net margin (TTM)7.4%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
72/ 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 Watsco, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WSO analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: FactSet Research Systems Inc. leads (85 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Watsco, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: FactSet Research Systems Inc. has 2 segments; Watsco, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in HVAC/R Distribution).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: FactSet Research Systems Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Watsco, Inc. has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

FactSet Research Systems Inc.

Hosted Platform (Workstations & Analytics)

Market

Financial data and analytics platforms for investment professionals

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional investors and financial institutions

Role

Software and data platform vendor

Watsco, Inc.

HVAC/R Distribution

Market

HVAC/R equipment, parts and supplies distribution

Geography

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico; export to Latin America/Caribbean)

Customer

Licensed HVAC and refrigeration contractors (residential & commercial)

Role

Wholesale distributor

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

FactSet Research Systems Inc.
Watsco, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
FDS - New York Stock Exchange
WSO - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$10.8B
$14.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
52.3%
28.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
31.7%
10.2%
Net margin (TTM)
25.4%
7.4%
Sector
Financials
Industrials
Industry
Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Hosted Platform (Workstations & Analytics)
HVAC/R Distribution
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
9%-12% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
85 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Network, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

FactSet Research Systems Inc. strengths

Switching Costs GeneralSuite BundlingStandards RegistryDe Facto StandardConcession License

Watsco, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityContractual ExclusivityScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

FactSet Research Systems Inc. segments

Full profile >

Hosted Platform (Workstations & Analytics)

Oligopoly

n/a

Identifier Platform (CUSIP Global Services)

Quasi-Monopoly

n/a

Watsco, Inc. segments

Full profile >

HVAC/R Distribution

Competitive

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.