VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ferguson Enterprises Inc. vs The Hershey Company

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

Ferguson Enterprises Inc.

FERG · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$44.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
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 Ferguson Enterprises Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View FERG analysis

The Hershey Company

HSY · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)37.5%
Operating margin (TTM)16.6%
Net margin (TTM)11.8%
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
75/ 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 The Hershey Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HSY analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Hershey Company leads (75 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Ferguson Enterprises Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ferguson Enterprises Inc. has 2 segments (95.1% in United States); The Hershey Company has 3 segments (81.4% in North America Confectionery).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Ferguson Enterprises Inc. has 4 moat types across 2 domains; The Hershey Company has 4 across 2.

Primary market context

Ferguson Enterprises Inc.

United States

Market

Value-added distribution of plumbing, HVAC, PVF, waterworks and related products/services

Geography

United States

Customer

Residential and non-residential professional trade customers (contractors/builders) plus industrial and infrastructure customers

Role

Value-added distributor (B2B)

Revenue share

95.1%

The Hershey Company

North America Confectionery

Market

Branded chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery

Geography

United States and Canada

Customer

Retail consumers via grocery, mass, club and convenience

Role

Branded manufacturer and marketer

Revenue share

81.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Ferguson Enterprises Inc.
The Hershey Company
Ticker / Exchange
FERG - New York Stock Exchange
HSY - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$44.7B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
37.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
16.6%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
11.8%
Sector
Industrials
Consumer
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
United States
North America Confectionery
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
34%-38% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
72 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-26

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scope Economies

Ferguson Enterprises Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostData Workflow Lockin

The Hershey Company strengths

Brand TrustDistribution ControlOperational Excellence

Segment mix

Ferguson Enterprises Inc. segments

Full profile >

United States

Competitive

95.1%

Canada

Competitive

4.9%

The Hershey Company segments

Full profile >

North America Confectionery

Oligopoly

81.4%

North America Salty Snacks

Oligopoly

10.1%

International

Competitive

8.5%

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.