VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Pool Corporation vs The Sherwin-Williams Company

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

Pool Corporation

POOL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$8.8B
Gross margin (TTM)29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)11.1%
Net margin (TTM)7.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
56/ 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 Pool Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View POOL analysis

The Sherwin-Williams Company

SHW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$82.5B
Gross margin (TTM)48.9%
Operating margin (TTM)15.9%
Net margin (TTM)11.1%
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
84/ 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 The Sherwin-Williams Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SHW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Sherwin-Williams Company leads (84 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Pool Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Pool Corporation has 1 segment (100% in Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)); The Sherwin-Williams Company has 3 segments (57.1% in Paint Stores Group).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Quasi-Monopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Pool Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; The Sherwin-Williams Company has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

Pool Corporation

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Market

Wholesale distribution of swimming pool, irrigation/landscape, and related outdoor living products

Geography

North America (majority), with operations in Europe and Australia

Customer

Pool builders/remodelers, pool service/repair professionals, specialty pool retailers, irrigation/landscape contractors, commercial pool operators

Role

Distributor / wholesaler

Revenue share

100%

The Sherwin-Williams Company

Paint Stores Group

Market

Company-operated paint & coatings retail (architectural + related products)

Geography

United States, Canada, Caribbean

Customer

Professional contractors and DIY homeowners

Role

Manufacturer-owned retail / distribution

Revenue share

57.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Pool Corporation
The Sherwin-Williams Company
Ticker / Exchange
POOL - NASDAQ
SHW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$8.8B
$82.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
29.6%
48.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
11.1%
15.9%
Net margin (TTM)
7.8%
11.1%
Sector
Industrials
Materials
Industry
Industrial - Distribution
Chemicals - Specialty
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)
Paint Stores Group
Market structure
Competitive
Quasi-Monopoly
Market share
n/a
69.4% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Strong
Moat score
56 / 100
84 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scope Economies

Pool Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostProcurement InertiaData Workflow Lockin

The Sherwin-Williams Company strengths

Distribution ControlService Field NetworkBrand TrustSwitching Costs GeneralCompliance Advantage

Segment mix

Pool Corporation segments

Full profile >

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Competitive

100%

The Sherwin-Williams Company segments

Full profile >

Paint Stores Group

Quasi-Monopoly

57.1%

Consumer Brands Group

Oligopoly

13.5%

Performance Coatings Group

Oligopoly

29.4%

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.