VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 3, 2026

Stock Comparison

Keyence Corporation vs Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

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

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

BRK.B · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)28.7%
Operating margin (TTM)15.8%
Net margin (TTM)17.8%
SectorFinancials
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
64/ 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 Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BRK.B analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Keyence Corporation leads (73 / 100 vs 64 / 100 for Berkshire Hathaway Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Keyence Corporation has 3 segments; Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has 11 segments (28.3% in Insurance (underwriting + investment income)).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs n/a.
  • Moat breadth: Keyence Corporation has 7 moat types across 2 domains; Berkshire Hathaway Inc. has 17 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

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Insurance (underwriting + investment income)

Market

Insurance and reinsurance (property and casualty + life/health), including float-funded investing

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers and businesses (policyholders) and insurers (reinsurance cedents)

Role

Underwriter and reinsurer plus investment manager of float

Revenue share

28.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Keyence Corporation
Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
6861.T - Tokyo Stock Exchange
BRK.B - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$87.6B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
28.7%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
15.8%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
17.8%
Sector
Technology
Financials
Industry
n/a
n/a
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Sensors & Safety/Static Control
Insurance (underwriting + investment income)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
n/a
Moat score
73 / 100
64 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Financial, Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkDesign In QualificationDistribution ControlScope EconomiesBrand Trust

Keyence Corporation strengths

Learning Curve YieldOperational Excellence

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. strengths

Float PrepaymentCapacity MoatPhysical Network DensityLong Term ContractsConcession LicensePermits Rights Of WayCapex Knowhow ScaleIP Choke PointScale Economies Unit CostTraining Org Change CostsPreferential Input AccessCost Of Capital Advantage

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

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. segments

Full profile >

Insurance (underwriting + investment income)

Competitive

28.3%

BNSF Railway (freight rail transportation)

Oligopoly

6.4%

Berkshire Hathaway Energy (regulated utilities, pipelines, renewables)

Monopoly

7.1%

Industrial products manufacturing (PCC, Lubrizol, IMC, Marmon, etc.)

Oligopoly

9.7%

Building products & housing (Clayton Homes, Shaw, Johns Manville, Benjamin Moore, etc.)

Competitive

7.2%

Consumer products manufacturing (Duracell, Forest River, apparel/footwear, toys, etc.)

Competitive

4%

Service businesses (FlightSafety, NetJets, TTI, Dairy Queen, etc.)

Competitive

5.6%

Retailing businesses (Berkshire Hathaway Automotive, home furnishings, jewelry, See's, etc.)

Competitive

5.2%

Pilot Travel Centers (travel centers + wholesale fuel marketing)

Oligopoly

12.6%

McLane (wholesale distribution to convenience stores and restaurants)

Oligopoly

14%

Holding company capital allocation and investing

Competitive

n/a

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.