VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

McDonald's Corporation vs Transurban Group

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

McDonald's Corporation

MCD · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$214.3B
Gross margin (TTM)57.4%
Operating margin (TTM)46.1%
Net margin (TTM)32%
SectorConsumer
IndustryRestaurants
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
80/ 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 McDonald's Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MCD analysis

Transurban Group

TCL · Australian Securities Exchange

Market cap (USD)$42.6B
Gross margin (TTM)43.4%
Operating margin (TTM)39.4%
Net margin (TTM)5.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Infrastructure Operations
CountryAU
Data as of2026-01-04
Moat score
91/ 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 Transurban Group's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View TCL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Transurban Group leads (91 / 100 vs 80 / 100 for McDonald's Corporation).
  • Segment focus: McDonald's Corporation has 3 segments (48.7% in International Operated Markets); Transurban Group has 4 segments (49.5% in Sydney toll roads).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: McDonald's Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Transurban Group has 3 across 3.

Primary market context

McDonald's Corporation

International Operated Markets

Market

Quick-service restaurants and informal eating out (IEO)

Geography

International operated markets (e.g., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, U.K.)

Customer

Consumers (end customers) and franchisees (B2B system partners)

Role

Franchisor / restaurant operator

Revenue share

48.7%

Transurban Group

Sydney toll roads

Market

Urban toll-road concessions (Sydney)

Geography

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Customer

Motorists and commercial fleet operators

Role

Concessionaire / operator and developer

Revenue share

49.5%

Side-by-side metrics

McDonald's Corporation
Transurban Group
Ticker / Exchange
MCD - New York Stock Exchange
TCL - Australian Securities Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$214.3B
$42.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
57.4%
43.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
46.1%
39.4%
Net margin (TTM)
32%
5.8%
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Restaurants
Industrial - Infrastructure Operations
HQ country
US
AU
Primary segment
International Operated Markets
Sydney toll roads
Market structure
Competitive
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
91 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Legal, Financial, Demand
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-04

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

McDonald's Corporation strengths

Brand TrustPhysical Network DensityDistribution ControlOperational ExcellenceLong Term Contracts

Transurban Group strengths

Concession LicenseBenchmark Pricing PowerDynamic congestion pricing

Segment mix

McDonald's Corporation segments

Full profile >

U.S.

Competitive

41%

International Operated Markets

Competitive

48.7%

International Developmental Licensed Markets & Corporate

Competitive

10.3%

Transurban Group segments

Full profile >

Sydney toll roads

Quasi-Monopoly

49.5%

Melbourne toll roads

Quasi-Monopoly

26.5%

Brisbane toll roads

Quasi-Monopoly

16%

North America managed lanes and concessions

Quasi-Monopoly

8.1%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.