VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

MercadoLibre, Inc. vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

MercadoLibre, Inc.

MELI · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$100.7B
Gross margin (TTM)45.1%
Operating margin (TTM)12%
Net margin (TTM)7.9%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
73/ 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 MercadoLibre, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MELI analysis

Norfolk Southern Corporation

NSC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
IndustryRailroads
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
70/ 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 Norfolk Southern Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NSC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: MercadoLibre, Inc. leads (73 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: MercadoLibre, Inc. has 2 segments (58.5% in Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Moat breadth: MercadoLibre, Inc. has 6 moat types across 4 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

MercadoLibre, Inc.

Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)

Market

Latin American e-commerce marketplace and commerce services (online marketplace, 1P retail, fulfillment/logistics, advertising)

Geography

Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and other countries)

Customer

Consumers (buyers) and merchants/brands (sellers), including MSMEs

Role

Marketplace operator + retailer + logistics orchestrator

Revenue share

58.5%

Norfolk Southern Corporation

Merchandise

Market

Eastern U.S. freight rail transportation for industrial & consumer goods

Geography

United States (Southeast/East/Midwest; NS network + interchanges)

Customer

Manufacturers, producers, and distributors

Role

Rail carrier

Revenue share

62%

Side-by-side metrics

MercadoLibre, Inc.
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
MELI - NASDAQ
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$100.7B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
45.1%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
12%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
7.9%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
Specialty Retail
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)
Merchandise
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
73 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Switching Costs General

MercadoLibre, Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkEcosystem ComplementsDistribution ControlData Workflow LockinCompliance Advantage

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

MercadoLibre, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Commerce (Marketplace, logistics, ads, classifieds)

Oligopoly

58.5%

Fintech (Mercado Pago & credit)

Competitive

41.5%

Norfolk Southern Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise

Oligopoly

62%

Intermodal

Oligopoly

25%

Coal

Oligopoly

13%

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.