VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Air Liquide S.A. vs Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

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

Air Liquide S.A.

AI · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)$91.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
CountryFR
Data as of2026-01-08
Moat score
58/ 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 Air Liquide S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AI analysis

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

APD · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$58.7B
Gross margin (TTM)31.4%
Operating margin (TTM)-7.3%
Net margin (TTM)-3.3%
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-27
Moat score
70/ 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 Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View APD analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. leads (70 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Air Liquide S.A.).
  • Segment focus: Air Liquide S.A. has 6 segments (44% in Industrial Merchant); Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has 3 segments (51.3% in On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Air Liquide S.A. has 12 moat types across 3 domains; Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

Air Liquide S.A.

Industrial Merchant

Market

Merchant industrial and medical gases distribution (cylinders, bulk liquids) plus related equipment and services

Geography

Global (local/regional distribution markets)

Customer

SMEs and mid-market industrial customers, contractors, labs, and public sector buyers

Role

Distributor + producer (last-mile logistics, cylinder assets, bulk delivery)

Revenue share

44%

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)

Market

On-site supply of industrial gases (oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, etc.)

Geography

Global

Customer

Large-volume industrial customers (refining, chemicals, metals, electronics)

Role

Producer / operator of on-site plants and pipeline networks

Revenue share

51.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Air Liquide S.A.
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AI - Euronext Paris
APD - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$91.6B
$58.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
31.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
-7.3%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
-3.3%
Sector
Materials
Materials
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
Chemicals - Specialty
HQ country
FR
US
Primary segment
Industrial Merchant
On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
58 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-08
2025-12-27

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term ContractsPhysical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceCapex Knowhow Scale

Air Liquide S.A. strengths

Scale Economies Unit CostDistribution ControlService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageDesign In QualificationSupply Chain ControlIP Choke PointScope Economies

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. strengths

Permits Rights Of WayInstalled Base Consumables

Segment mix

Air Liquide S.A. segments

Full profile >

Large Industries

Oligopoly

26%

Industrial Merchant

Competitive

44%

Healthcare

Competitive

16%

Electronics

Oligopoly

9%

Engineering & Construction

Competitive

2%

Global Markets & Technologies

Competitive

3%

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. segments

Full profile >

On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)

Oligopoly

51.3%

Merchant gases (liquid bulk + packaged)

Competitive

44.3%

Industrial gases equipment (cryogenic & gas processing)

Competitive

4.3%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

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

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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.