VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Friday, January 2, 2026
Stock Comparison
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. vs Norfolk Southern Corporation
Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
ISRG · NASDAQ
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Intuitive Surgical, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View ISRG analysisNorfolk Southern Corporation
NSC · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Norfolk Southern Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View NSC analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. leads (83 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
- Segment focus: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
- Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.
Primary market context
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Instruments and Accessories
Proprietary robotic surgery instruments, accessories, and consumables used per procedure on the da Vinci (and Ion) installed base
Global
Hospitals and surgery centers purchasing consumables; surgeons and OR teams as end users
Consumables OEM within proprietary platform
60.8%
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Merchandise
Eastern U.S. freight rail transportation for industrial & consumer goods
United States (Southeast/East/Midwest; NS network + interchanges)
Manufacturers, producers, and distributors
Rail carrier
62%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
No overlap yet.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths
Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths
Segment mix
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. segments
Full profile >Systems
Quasi-Monopoly
Instruments and Accessories
Monopoly
Services
Monopoly
Norfolk Southern Corporation segments
Full profile >Merchandise
Oligopoly
Intermodal
Oligopoly
Coal
Oligopoly
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View the moat stocks listCuration & 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.