VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

W.W. Grainger, Inc. vs RELX PLC

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)
SectorIndustrials
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

RELX PLC

REL · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$74.8B
SectorIndustrials
CountryGB
Data as of2025-12-30
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 RELX PLC's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View REL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: RELX PLC 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.); RELX PLC has 4 segments (34.4% in Risk).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; RELX PLC has 8 across 3.

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%

RELX PLC

Risk

Market

Risk analytics & decisioning platforms (fraud/identity, financial crime compliance, insurance underwriting/claims, industry data)

Geography

Global (largest in North America)

Customer

Enterprises (banks, insurers, digital commerce), governments, and other regulated industries

Role

Data/analytics provider and workflow platform

Revenue share

34.4%

Side-by-side metrics

W.W. Grainger, Inc.
RELX PLC
Ticker / Exchange
GWW - New York Stock Exchange
REL - London Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$74.8B
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
HQ country
US
GB
Primary segment
High-Touch Solutions N.A.
Risk
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
Network, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

W.W. Grainger, Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkScale Economies Unit CostScope EconomiesOperational Excellence

RELX PLC strengths

Data Network EffectsCompliance AdvantageContent Rights CurrencyBrand TrustSuite BundlingTwo Sided NetworkReputation Reviews

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%

RELX PLC segments

Full profile >

Risk

Oligopoly

34.4%

Scientific, Technical & Medical

Oligopoly

32.3%

Legal

Oligopoly

20.1%

Exhibitions

Competitive

13.1%

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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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.