VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Air Liquide S.A. vs General Dynamics Corporation

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

General Dynamics Corporation

GD · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$95.4B
Gross margin (TTM)15.3%
Operating margin (TTM)10.3%
Net margin (TTM)8.2%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryAerospace & Defense
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
80/ 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 General Dynamics Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GD analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: General Dynamics Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Air Liquide S.A.).
  • Segment focus: Air Liquide S.A. has 6 segments (44% in Industrial Merchant); General Dynamics Corporation has 4 segments (30.1% in Marine Systems (Nuclear subs + surface shipbuilding)).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Duopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Air Liquide S.A. has 12 moat types across 3 domains; General Dynamics Corporation has 11 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%

General Dynamics Corporation

Marine Systems (Nuclear subs + surface shipbuilding)

Market

U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine construction and major surface combatant shipbuilding/lifecycle services

Geography

United States

Customer

Government (primarily U.S. Navy)

Role

Prime contractor / shipbuilder / lifecycle services

Revenue share

30.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Air Liquide S.A.
General Dynamics Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
AI - Euronext Paris
GD - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$91.6B
$95.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
15.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
10.3%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
8.2%
Sector
Materials
Industrials
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
Aerospace & Defense
HQ country
FR
US
Primary segment
Industrial Merchant
Marine Systems (Nuclear subs + surface shipbuilding)
Market structure
Competitive
Duopoly
Market share
n/a
45%-55% (estimated)
HHI estimate
n/a
5,000
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
58 / 100
80 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-08
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term ContractsService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageDesign In QualificationCapex Knowhow Scale

Air Liquide S.A. strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostDistribution ControlOperational ExcellenceSupply Chain ControlIP Choke PointScope Economies

General Dynamics Corporation strengths

Brand TrustRegulated Standards PipeGovernment Contracting RelationshipsProcurement InertiaCapacity MoatSuite Bundling

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%

General Dynamics Corporation segments

Full profile >

Aerospace (Gulfstream + Jet Aviation)

Oligopoly

23.6%

Marine Systems (Nuclear subs + surface shipbuilding)

Duopoly

30.1%

Combat Systems (Land vehicles + munitions)

Oligopoly

18.9%

Technologies (C5ISR + Federal IT)

Competitive

27.5%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.