VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 3, 2026

Stock Comparison

Keyence Corporation vs Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

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

Keyence Corporation

6861.T · Tokyo Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$87.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorTechnology
Industry
CountryJP
Data as of2026-01-02
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 Keyence Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 6861.T analysis

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

6981 · Tokyo Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$6T
Gross margin (TTM)41.4%
Operating margin (TTM)16.8%
Net margin (TTM)13.4%
SectorTechnology
IndustryHardware, Equipment & Parts
CountryJP
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
75/ 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 Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 6981 analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. leads (75 / 100 vs 73 / 100 for Keyence Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Keyence Corporation has 3 segments; Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. has 6 segments (47.7% in Capacitors (primarily MLCC)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Keyence Corporation has 7 moat types across 2 domains; Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. has 8 across 4.

Primary market context

Keyence Corporation

Sensors & Safety/Static Control

Market

Industrial sensors and safety/static control for factory automation

Geography

Global

Customer

Manufacturers (production/automation teams) and machine builders

Role

Component OEM and application-solution provider

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Capacitors (primarily MLCC)

Market

Multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC) and related capacitors

Geography

Global

Customer

Electronics OEMs and tier-1 suppliers (smartphone, PC/server, automotive, industrial)

Role

Component manufacturer / supplier

Revenue share

47.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Keyence Corporation
Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Ticker / Exchange
6861.T - Tokyo Stock Exchange
6981 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$87.6B
$6T
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
41.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
16.8%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
13.4%
Sector
Technology
Technology
Industry
n/a
Hardware, Equipment & Parts
HQ country
JP
JP
Primary segment
Sensors & Safety/Static Control
Capacitors (primarily MLCC)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
38%-42% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
73 / 100
75 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Supply, Demand, Financial, Legal
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Design In QualificationLearning Curve YieldBrand Trust

Keyence Corporation strengths

Service Field NetworkOperational ExcellenceDistribution ControlScope Economies

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleBenchmark Pricing PowerIP Choke PointCompliance AdvantageResidual segment

Segment mix

Keyence Corporation segments

Full profile >

Sensors & Safety/Static Control

Oligopoly

n/a

Machine Vision, Code Reading & Laser Marking

Oligopoly

n/a

Metrology & Microscopes

Oligopoly

n/a

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. segments

Full profile >

Capacitors (primarily MLCC)

Oligopoly

47.7%

Inductors and EMI Filters

Oligopoly

11.5%

High-Frequency Devices and Communications Modules

Oligopoly

25.4%

Batteries and Power Supply

Competitive

8.9%

Functional Devices (including sensors)

Competitive

5.6%

Other

Competitive

0.9%

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.