VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

W.W. Grainger, Inc. vs Eli Lilly and Company

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

Eli Lilly and Company

LLY · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$935.6B
Gross margin (TTM)83%
Operating margin (TTM)43.9%
Net margin (TTM)31%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - General
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-05
Moat score
66/ 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 Eli Lilly and Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LLY analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Eli Lilly and Company leads (66 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for W.W. Grainger, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 3 segments (79.9% in High-Touch Solutions N.A.); Eli Lilly and Company has 5 segments (65.5% in Cardiometabolic Health).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Eli Lilly and Company has 5 across 2.

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%

Eli Lilly and Company

Cardiometabolic Health

Market

Branded cardiometabolic pharmaceuticals (type 2 diabetes, obesity, and related metabolic/cardiovascular conditions; especially incretin therapies)

Geography

Global

Customer

Patients via prescribers; payers/PBMs; wholesaler & pharmacy channels

Role

Drug developer, manufacturer, and marketer

Revenue share

65.5%

Side-by-side metrics

W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Eli Lilly and Company
Ticker / Exchange
GWW - New York Stock Exchange
LLY - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$48.3B
$935.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
39.1%
83%
Operating margin (TTM)
14.1%
43.9%
Net margin (TTM)
9.8%
31%
Sector
Industrials
Healthcare
Industry
Industrial - Distribution
Drug Manufacturers - General
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
High-Touch Solutions N.A.
Cardiometabolic Health
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
65 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-05

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational Excellence

W.W. Grainger, Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinScale Economies Unit CostScope Economies

Eli Lilly and Company strengths

IP Choke PointCapacity MoatLearning Curve YieldCompliance 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%

Eli Lilly and Company segments

Full profile >

Cardiometabolic Health

Oligopoly

65.5%

Oncology

Competitive

19.4%

Immunology

Competitive

9.8%

Neuroscience

Competitive

3.3%

Other

Competitive

2%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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

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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.