VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Monster Beverage Corporation vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

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

Monster Beverage Corporation

MNST · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$74.4B
Gross margin (TTM)55.8%
Operating margin (TTM)28.3%
Net margin (TTM)21.7%
SectorConsumer
IndustryBeverages - Non-Alcoholic
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
76/ 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 Monster Beverage Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MNST 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: Monster Beverage Corporation leads (76 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Monster Beverage Corporation has 4 segments (91.6% in Monster Energy Drinks); Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Moat breadth: Monster Beverage Corporation has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

Monster Beverage Corporation

Monster Energy Drinks

Market

Energy drinks

Geography

Global

Customer

Retail consumers (via bottlers/distributors and retailers); some direct-to-retail

Role

Brand owner, marketer, and RTD finished-goods seller

Revenue share

91.6%

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

Monster Beverage Corporation
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
MNST - Nasdaq Global Select Market
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$74.4B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
55.8%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
28.3%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
21.7%
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Industrials
Industry
Beverages - Non-Alcoholic
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Monster Energy Drinks
Merchandise
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
33%-35% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Monster Beverage Corporation strengths

Distribution ControlBrand TrustPreferential Input AccessContractual ExclusivitySpecialty flavor formulations (AFF)

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Monster Beverage Corporation segments

Full profile >

Monster Energy Drinks

Oligopoly

91.6%

Strategic Brands

Oligopoly

5.8%

Alcohol Brands

Competitive

2.3%

Other (AFF Third-Party Products)

Competitive

0.3%

Norfolk Southern Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise

Oligopoly

62%

Intermodal

Oligopoly

25%

Coal

Oligopoly

13%

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.