VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Keyence Corporation vs Linde plc

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

Linde plc

LIN · Nasdaq Stock Market

Market cap (USD)$199.9B
Gross margin (TTM)40.5%
Operating margin (TTM)27.2%
Net margin (TTM)21.2%
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
CountryIE
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
72/ 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 Linde plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LIN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Keyence Corporation leads (73 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Linde plc).
  • Segment focus: Keyence Corporation has 3 segments; Linde plc has 4 segments (43.8% in Americas).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Keyence Corporation has 7 moat types across 2 domains; Linde plc has 5 across 3.

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

Linde plc

Americas

Market

Industrial gases (Americas)

Geography

Americas

Customer

B2B + healthcare

Role

Producer, distributor, on-site plant owner/operator

Revenue share

43.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Keyence Corporation
Linde plc
Ticker / Exchange
6861.T - Tokyo Stock Exchange
LIN - Nasdaq Stock Market
Market cap (USD)
$87.6B
$199.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
40.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
27.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
21.2%
Sector
Technology
Materials
Industry
n/a
Chemicals - Specialty
HQ country
JP
IE
Primary segment
Sensors & Safety/Static Control
Americas
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
73 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Keyence Corporation strengths

Service Field NetworkDesign In QualificationLearning Curve YieldOperational ExcellenceDistribution ControlScope EconomiesBrand Trust

Linde plc strengths

Long Term ContractsPhysical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostCapex Knowhow ScaleIP Choke Point

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

Linde plc segments

Full profile >

Americas

Oligopoly

43.8%

EMEA

Oligopoly

25.3%

APAC

Oligopoly

20.1%

Engineering

Competitive

7%

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.