The North West Co (TSX:NWC) Moat Score: 5/10 (As of Jul. 07, 2026)


TSX:NWC The North West Co Inc TSX:NWC
87 GF Score
Price C$49.37
GF Value C$47.38
Valuation Fairly Valued
! 3 Warning Signs
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What is The North West Co Moat Score?

The North West Co TSX:NWC -0.12% 87 Moat Score is 5 as of Jul. 07, 2026. GuruFocus rates TSX:NWC with a GF Score™ of 87/100 and a GF Value™ of C$47.38 (Fairly Valued). The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 317 Retail - Defensive companies, The North West Co ranks better than 92.11% on this metric.

The North West Co has the Moat Score of 5, which implies that the company might have Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat.

The North West Co has Narrow Moat: The North West Co Inc has a solid narrow moat due to its strong distribution network in remote communities, providing some pricing power and customer loyalty. However, it faces competition from larger retailers and lacks significant economies of scale.

Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more.

The company's Moat Score is based on these criteria:

1. Market leadership and sustainable market share
2. Network effects and significant customer switching costs
3. Valuable intellectual property and patents
4. Strong brand strength and deep customer loyalty
5. Durable cost advantages (e.g., economies of scale, proprietary technology)
6. Significant regulatory barriers and exclusive licenses
7. Superior distribution network
8. Strong and sustainable pricing power
9. Consistent and impactful innovation and R&D capabilities

Based on the research, GuruFocus believes The North West Co might have Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat.

The North West Co  (TSX:NWC) Moat Score Explanation

The Moat Score ranges from 0 to 10, with 10 as the highest. GuruFocus divided Moat Score into following 8 categories:

Moat Score Moat Level
10Wide Moat - Exceptionally dominant and durable wide moat
8 - 9Wide Moat - Clear and robust wide moat
7Wide Moat - Entry-level wide moat, clearly possessing durable advantages
6Narrow Moat - Strong narrow moat, clearly distinguishable but not wide
5Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat
4Narrow Moat - Discernible but modest moat
1 - 3No Moat - Very weak/transient advantages
0No Moat - No discernible moat

The North West Co Moat Score Related Terms

TSX:NWC vs KR, SFM, ACI: Moat Score Comparison

For the Grocery Stores subindustry, The North West Co's Moat Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Moat Score data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.

The North West Co Moat Score vs Retail - Defensive Industry

For the Retail - Defensive industry and Consumer Defensive sector, The North West Co's Moat Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where The North West Co's Moat Score falls into.


TSX:NWC
87GF Score
The North West Co Inc TSX:NWC
Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Moat Score →
What does a Moat Score of 5 mean?
The North West Co (TSX:NWC) has a Moat Score of 5 as of Jul. 07, 2026. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. According to the industry distribution chart, The North West Co ranks #25 out of 317 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, placing it in the top 7.9%.
Is The North West Co's Moat Score too high?
The North West Co's current Moat Score is 5. Based on the distribution chart, The North West Co ranks #25 out of 317 companies in the Retail - Defensive industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, The North West Co has a GF Score™ of 87/100 and is considered Fairly Valued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does The North West Co's Moat Score compare to KR and SFM?
According to the Retail - Defensive industry distribution chart, The North West Co ranks #25 out of 317 companies for Moat Score. This places The North West Co in the top 8% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Moat Score for a Retail - Defensive company?
A good Moat Score depends on the Retail - Defensive industry context. However, Moat Score should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Moat Score mean?
A high Moat Score can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. The North West Co's current Moat Score is 5. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is The North West Co stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, The North West Co (TSX:NWC) is currently considered Fairly Valued. The stock's GF Value™ is C$47.38, compared to a current price of C$49.37 — trading 4.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Moat Score is 5. The North West Co's overall GF Score™ is 87/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Moat Score calculated?
Moat Score is calculated from a company's financial statements. For The North West Co (TSX:NWC), the current Moat Score is 5 as of Jul. 07, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is The North West Co (TSX:NWC) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, The North West Co stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of C$49.37 is trading 4.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of C$47.38. GuruFocus considers The North West Co to be Fairly Valued.

Key valuation signals for TSX:NWC:

  • Moat Score: 5
  • GF Value™: C$47.38 vs. price of C$49.37 (4.2% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 87/100 with 3 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the TSX:NWC stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.

The North West Co Business Description

Other Exchanges NNWWF:USA3NW:Germany
Address 77 Main Street, Gibraltar House, Winnipeg, MB, CAN, R3C 2R1
The North West Co Inc is a retailer to rural and remote communities and underserved urban neighbourhood markets in Northern Canada, Western Canada, rural Alaska, the South Pacific islands, and the Caribbean. The Company offers a broad Multiple products and services with an emphasis on food, focusing on everyday household and local lifestyle needs. It operates as a retailer of food and everyday products and services through two geographical segments: Canadian and International. The Canadian segment generates maximum revenue and consists of subsidiaries operating retail stores and complementary businesses serving northern Canada, while the International segment consists of subsidiaries operating in the continental United States, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific.
87GF Score

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Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

C$49.37
Price
C$47.38
GF Value