VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Air Liquide S.A. vs PDD Holdings 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

PDD Holdings Inc.

PDD · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$168.7B
Gross margin (TTM)56.7%
Operating margin (TTM)22.1%
Net margin (TTM)24.4%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryKY
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
44/ 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 PDD Holdings Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View PDD analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Air Liquide S.A. leads (58 / 100 vs 44 / 100 for PDD Holdings Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Air Liquide S.A. has 6 segments (44% in Industrial Merchant); PDD Holdings Inc. has 2 segments.
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Air Liquide S.A. has 12 moat types across 3 domains; PDD Holdings Inc. has 4 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%

PDD Holdings Inc.

Pinduoduo China marketplace

Market

China online retail marketplace (value-for-money focus)

Geography

China

Customer

Consumers & third-party merchants

Role

Online marketplace platform

Side-by-side metrics

Air Liquide S.A.
PDD Holdings Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AI - Euronext Paris
PDD - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$91.6B
$168.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
56.7%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
22.1%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
24.4%
Sector
Materials
Consumer
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
Specialty Retail
HQ country
FR
KY
Primary segment
Industrial Merchant
Pinduoduo China marketplace
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
58 / 100
44 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Network, Supply, Financial, Legal
Last update
2026-01-08
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit CostCompliance Advantage

Air Liquide S.A. strengths

Long Term ContractsPhysical Network DensityDistribution ControlOperational ExcellenceService Field NetworkDesign In QualificationSupply Chain ControlIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleScope Economies

PDD Holdings Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkFloat Prepayment

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%

PDD Holdings Inc. segments

Full profile >

Pinduoduo China marketplace

Oligopoly

n/a

Temu international marketplace

Competitive

n/a

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.