VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Air Liquide S.A. vs BlackRock, 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

BlackRock, Inc.

BLK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$168.1B
Gross margin (TTM)51.6%
Operating margin (TTM)32.6%
Net margin (TTM)26.6%
SectorFinancials
IndustryAsset Management
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
59/ 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 BlackRock, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View BLK analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: BlackRock, Inc. leads (59 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Air Liquide S.A.).
  • Segment focus: Air Liquide S.A. has 6 segments (44% in Industrial Merchant); BlackRock, Inc. has 7 segments (33% in iShares ETFs & ETPs).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Air Liquide S.A. has 12 moat types across 3 domains; BlackRock, Inc. has 10 across 2.

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%

BlackRock, Inc.

iShares ETFs & ETPs

Market

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded products (ETPs)

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional and retail (via intermediaries)

Role

ETF sponsor / asset manager

Revenue share

33%

Side-by-side metrics

Air Liquide S.A.
BlackRock, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AI - Euronext Paris
BLK - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$91.6B
$168.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
51.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
32.6%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
26.6%
Sector
Materials
Financials
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
Asset Management
HQ country
FR
US
Primary segment
Industrial Merchant
iShares ETFs & ETPs
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
28.3% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
58 / 100
59 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand
Last update
2026-01-08
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term ContractsScale Economies Unit CostDistribution ControlOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

Air Liquide S.A. strengths

Physical Network DensityService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageDesign In QualificationSupply Chain ControlIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow Scale

BlackRock, Inc. strengths

Brand TrustSwitching Costs GeneralSuite BundlingProcurement InertiaData Workflow Lockin

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%

BlackRock, Inc. segments

Full profile >

iShares ETFs & ETPs

Oligopoly

33%

Institutional Index Mandates (Non-ETF)

Oligopoly

5.7%

Active & Multi-Asset (Public Markets)

Competitive

27.5%

Alternatives & Private Markets

Oligopoly

13.5%

Cash Management (MMFs & cash solutions)

Competitive

5.1%

Aladdin & Technology Services

Oligopoly

7.9%

Distribution & Advisory Services

Competitive

7.3%

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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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.