VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

Air Liquide S.A. vs Intuitive Surgical, 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

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

ISRG · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$209.4B
Gross margin (TTM)66.4%
Operating margin (TTM)29.3%
Net margin (TTM)28.6%
SectorHealthcare
IndustryMedical - Instruments & Supplies
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
83/ 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 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ISRG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. leads (83 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Air Liquide S.A.).
  • Segment focus: Air Liquide S.A. has 6 segments (44% in Industrial Merchant); Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Air Liquide S.A. has 12 moat types across 3 domains; Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 across 4.

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%

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Instruments and Accessories

Market

Proprietary robotic surgery instruments, accessories, and consumables used per procedure on the da Vinci (and Ion) installed base

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals and surgery centers purchasing consumables; surgeons and OR teams as end users

Role

Consumables OEM within proprietary platform

Revenue share

60.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Air Liquide S.A.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AI - Euronext Paris
ISRG - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$91.6B
$209.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
66.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
29.3%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
28.6%
Sector
Materials
Healthcare
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
Medical - Instruments & Supplies
HQ country
FR
US
Primary segment
Industrial Merchant
Instruments and Accessories
Market structure
Competitive
Monopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
58 / 100
83 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand, Network, Legal
Last update
2026-01-08
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term ContractsService Field NetworkIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow Scale

Air Liquide S.A. strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostDistribution ControlOperational ExcellenceCompliance AdvantageDesign In QualificationSupply Chain ControlScope Economies

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths

Training Org Change CostsEcosystem ComplementsProcurement InertiaInstalled Base ConsumablesData 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%

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Systems

Quasi-Monopoly

23.5%

Instruments and Accessories

Monopoly

60.8%

Services

Monopoly

15.6%

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.