VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Pool Corporation vs Vulcan Materials 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

Vulcan Materials Company

VMC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$39.2B
Gross margin (TTM)28.2%
Operating margin (TTM)20.9%
Net margin (TTM)14.3%
SectorMaterials
IndustryConstruction Materials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
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 Vulcan Materials Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VMC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vulcan Materials Company leads (73 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Pool Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Pool Corporation has 1 segment (100% in Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)); Vulcan Materials Company has 3 segments (74.4% in Aggregates).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Pool Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Vulcan Materials Company has 5 across 2.

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%

Vulcan Materials Company

Aggregates

Market

Construction aggregates (crushed stone, sand & gravel)

Geography

United States (local/regional markets)

Customer

Construction contractors and public infrastructure agencies

Role

Upstream raw materials producer

Revenue share

74.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Pool Corporation
Vulcan Materials Company
Ticker / Exchange
POOL - NASDAQ
VMC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$8.8B
$39.2B
Gross margin (TTM)
29.6%
28.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
11.1%
20.9%
Net margin (TTM)
7.8%
14.3%
Sector
Industrials
Materials
Industry
Industrial - Distribution
Construction Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)
Aggregates
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
8%-11% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Strong
Moat score
56 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-06
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit Cost

Pool Corporation strengths

Scope EconomiesProcurement InertiaData Workflow Lockin

Vulcan Materials Company strengths

Permits Rights Of WayGeographic NaturalSupply Chain Control

Segment mix

Pool Corporation segments

Full profile >

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Competitive

100%

Vulcan Materials Company segments

Full profile >

Aggregates

Oligopoly

74.4%

Asphalt

Competitive

16.8%

Concrete

Competitive

8.8%

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.