VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Lowe's Companies, Inc. vs Union Pacific Corporation

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

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

LOW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$149.9B
Gross margin (TTM)31.4%
Operating margin (TTM)12.1%
Net margin (TTM)8.1%
SectorConsumer
IndustryHome Improvement
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
48/ 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 Lowe's Companies, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LOW analysis

Union Pacific Corporation

UNP · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$135.5B
Gross margin (TTM)45.9%
Operating margin (TTM)40.6%
Net margin (TTM)28.7%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryRailroads
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
72/ 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 Union Pacific Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View UNP analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Union Pacific Corporation leads (72 / 100 vs 48 / 100 for Lowe's Companies, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Lowe's Companies, Inc. has 1 segment (100% in Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)); Union Pacific Corporation has 4 segments (34.8% in Industrial).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Lowe's Companies, Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Union Pacific Corporation has 5 across 2.

Primary market context

Lowe's Companies, Inc.

Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)

Market

U.S. home improvement retail and related services (DIY and Pro; omnichannel)

Geography

United States

Customer

DIY consumers and small-to-medium professional contractors

Role

Omnichannel retailer and distributor

Revenue share

100%

Union Pacific Corporation

Industrial

Market

Rail freight transportation for industrial commodities (chemicals and plastics, metals and minerals, forest products, energy and specialized markets)

Geography

U.S. western two-thirds with interchange to other railroads; cross-border corridors to Mexico and Canada

Customer

Chemical producers, refiners, plastics manufacturers, construction and material suppliers, metals and mining, industrial shippers

Role

Class I rail carrier / linehaul freight transport

Revenue share

34.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Lowe's Companies, Inc.
Union Pacific Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
LOW - New York Stock Exchange
UNP - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$149.9B
$135.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
31.4%
45.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
12.1%
40.6%
Net margin (TTM)
8.1%
28.7%
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Home Improvement
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)
Industrial
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
48 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

Lowe's Companies, Inc. strengths

Supply Chain ControlHabit Default

Union Pacific Corporation strengths

Permits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Lowe's Companies, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Home Improvement Operations (Omnichannel)

Competitive

100%

Union Pacific Corporation segments

Full profile >

Bulk

Oligopoly

29.7%

Industrial

Oligopoly

34.8%

Premium

Oligopoly

29.5%

Other subsidiary, accessorial and other revenues

Competitive

5.9%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.