VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

W.W. Grainger, Inc. vs Martin Marietta Materials, 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)$48.1B
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

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.

MLM · NYSE

Market cap (USD)$37.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorMaterials
IndustryConstruction Materials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
78/ 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 Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MLM analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. leads (78 / 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.); Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. has 3 segments (52.4% in East Group).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. has 4 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%

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.

East Group

Market

Construction aggregates and asphalt products (crushed stone, sand & gravel; asphalt) in local/regional markets

Geography

United States (East/Southeast and adjacent regions)

Customer

Infrastructure agencies, construction contractors, and downstream materials producers (asphalt/ready-mix)

Role

Quarry/mining operator and building materials producer/distributor

Revenue share

52.4%

Side-by-side metrics

W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Martin Marietta Materials, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
GWW - New York Stock Exchange
MLM - NYSE
Market cap (USD)
$48.1B
$37.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
39.1%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
14.1%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
9.8%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Materials
Industry
Industrial - Distribution
Construction Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
High-Touch Solutions N.A.
East Group
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
65 / 100
78 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Supply, Financial
Last update
2026-01-01
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

W.W. Grainger, Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinScale Economies Unit CostScope EconomiesOperational Excellence

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityGeographic NaturalBenchmark Pricing PowerCapex Knowhow Scale

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%

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. segments

Full profile >

East Group

Oligopoly

52.4%

West Group

Oligopoly

40.9%

Specialties (formerly Magnesia Specialties)

Oligopoly

6.7%

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

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.