VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. vs Waters Corporation

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

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

6981 · Tokyo Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$5.9T
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

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: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. leads (75 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Waters Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. has 6 segments (47.7% in Capacitors (primarily MLCC)); Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • Moat breadth: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. has 8 moat types across 4 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.

Primary market context

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%

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

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
6981 - Tokyo Stock Exchange
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$5.9T
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
41.4%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
16.8%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
13.4%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Healthcare
Industry
Hardware, Equipment & Parts
n/a
HQ country
JP
US
Primary segment
Capacitors (primarily MLCC)
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
38%-42% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
75 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Financial, Legal
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-30
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Design In QualificationBrand Trust

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleLearning Curve YieldBenchmark Pricing PowerIP Choke PointCompliance AdvantageResidual segment

Waters Corporation strengths

Data Workflow LockinInstalled Base ConsumablesSupply Chain ControlLong Term ContractsService Field Network

Segment mix

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%

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?

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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.