VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Stock Comparison

Kao Corporation vs International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

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

Kao Corporation

4452 · Tokyo Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$18.5B
SectorConsumer
CountryJP
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
60/ 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 Kao Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 4452 analysis

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

IFF · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$17.4B
SectorMaterials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
59/ 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 International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View IFF analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Kao Corporation leads (60 / 100 vs 59 / 100 for International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Kao Corporation has 5 segments (33.5% in Hygiene Living Care Business); International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 4 segments (31.2% in Food Ingredients).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Kao Corporation has 5 moat types across 2 domains; International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Kao Corporation

Hygiene Living Care Business

Market

Household & fabric care and sanitary consumer packaged goods

Geography

Japan and Asia (with select global brands)

Customer

Consumers (retail)

Role

Branded manufacturer

Revenue share

33.5%

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

Food Ingredients

Market

Specialty food ingredients (texturizers, food protection, plant proteins, emulsifiers, sweeteners)

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B (food manufacturers)

Role

Ingredient supplier

Revenue share

31.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Kao Corporation
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
4452 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
IFF - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$18.5B
$17.4B
Sector
Consumer
Materials
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Hygiene Living Care Business
Food Ingredients
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
60 / 100
59 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2025-12-28
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In Qualification

Kao Corporation strengths

Brand TrustTraining Org Change Costs

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. strengths

IP Choke PointSupply Chain ControlCompliance AdvantageSwitching Costs GeneralScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Kao Corporation segments

Full profile >

Hygiene Living Care Business

Oligopoly

33.5%

Health Beauty Care Business

Competitive

26%

Cosmetics Business

Competitive

15%

Business Connected Business

Competitive

2.4%

Chemical Business

Competitive

23.1%

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. segments

Full profile >

Taste

Oligopoly

23.9%

Food Ingredients

Competitive

31.2%

Health & Biosciences

Oligopoly

21.4%

Scent

Oligopoly

23.6%

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.