VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Keyence Corporation vs Waters Corporation

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)$14T
Gross margin (TTM)83.1%
Operating margin (TTM)51.2%
Net margin (TTM)37.6%
SectorTechnology
IndustryHardware, Equipment & Parts
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

Waters Corporation

WAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
66/ 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 Waters Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WAT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Keyence Corporation leads (73 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Waters Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Keyence Corporation has 3 segments; Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Keyence Corporation has 7 moat types across 2 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.

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

Waters Corporation

Waters instrument systems

Market

Liquid chromatography (LC/UPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analytical instrument systems (including LC-MS workflows and instrument control/data system software)

Geography

Global

Customer

Pharma/biotech, industrial, academic and government laboratories

Role

OEM + software/platform provider

Revenue share

34.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Keyence Corporation
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
6861.T - Tokyo Stock Exchange
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$14T
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
83.1%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
51.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
37.6%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Healthcare
Industry
Hardware, Equipment & Parts
n/a
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Sensors & Safety/Static Control
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
73 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-02
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Service Field NetworkDesign In QualificationBrand Trust

Keyence Corporation strengths

Learning Curve YieldOperational ExcellenceDistribution ControlScope Economies

Waters Corporation strengths

Data Workflow LockinInstalled Base ConsumablesSupply Chain ControlLong Term Contracts

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

Waters Corporation segments

Full profile >

Waters instrument systems

Oligopoly

34.9%

Chemistry consumables

Competitive

19.1%

Waters service & software maintenance

Competitive

34%

TA instrument systems & service

Oligopoly

12%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.