VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

W.W. Grainger, Inc. vs Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.

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

W.W. Grainger, Inc.

GWW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$48.3B
Gross margin (TTM)39.1%
Operating margin (TTM)14.1%
Net margin (TTM)9.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
65/ 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 W.W. Grainger, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GWW analysis

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.

IBKR · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$123.6B
Gross margin (TTM)89%
Operating margin (TTM)82.7%
Net margin (TTM)9.2%
SectorFinancials
IndustryInvestment - Banking & Investment Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
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 Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View IBKR analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: W.W. Grainger, Inc. leads (65 / 100 vs 60 / 100 for Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 3 segments (79.9% in High-Touch Solutions N.A.); Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Electronic brokerage).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. has 4 across 4.

Primary market context

W.W. Grainger, Inc.

High-Touch Solutions N.A.

Market

MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) products distribution and value-added inventory/procurement solutions

Geography

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico)

Customer

Mid-size and large businesses with complex purchasing operations; also government and institutions

Role

Distributor / wholesaler + onsite inventory services

Revenue share

79.9%

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.

Electronic brokerage

Market

Multi-asset electronic brokerage, clearing, custody, and financing (self-directed and institutional)

Geography

Global

Customer

Individual investors and institutional clients (e.g., hedge funds, advisors, proprietary trading firms, introducing brokers)

Role

Broker-dealer / clearing broker / platform operator

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Interactive Brokers Group, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
GWW - New York Stock Exchange
IBKR - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$48.3B
$123.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
39.1%
89%
Operating margin (TTM)
14.1%
82.7%
Net margin (TTM)
9.8%
9.2%
Sector
Industrials
Financials
Industry
Industrial - Distribution
Investment - Banking & Investment Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
High-Touch Solutions N.A.
Electronic brokerage
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
65 / 100
60 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Supply, Network, Legal, Demand
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow LockinOperational Excellence

W.W. Grainger, Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkScale Economies Unit CostScope Economies

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. strengths

Interoperability HubCompliance Advantage

Segment mix

W.W. Grainger, Inc. segments

Full profile >

High-Touch Solutions N.A.

Competitive

79.9%

Endless Assortment

Competitive

18.3%

Other (Cromwell U.K. + captive insurance)

Competitive

1.8%

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Electronic brokerage

Competitive

100%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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

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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.