VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Air Liquide S.A. vs Waters 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

Waters Corporation

WAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
66/ 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 Waters Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WAT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Waters Corporation leads (66 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Air Liquide S.A.).
  • Segment focus: Air Liquide S.A. has 6 segments (44% in Industrial Merchant); Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Air Liquide S.A. has 12 moat types across 3 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 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%

Waters Corporation

Waters instrument systems

Market

Liquid chromatography (LC/UPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analytical instrument systems (including LC-MS workflows and instrument control/data system software)

Geography

Global

Customer

Pharma/biotech, industrial, academic and government laboratories

Role

OEM + software/platform provider

Revenue share

34.9%

Side-by-side metrics

Air Liquide S.A.
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
AI - Euronext Paris
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$91.6B
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
n/a
Sector
Materials
Healthcare
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
n/a
HQ country
FR
US
Primary segment
Industrial Merchant
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
58 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply
Last update
2026-01-08
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term ContractsService Field NetworkDesign In QualificationSupply Chain Control

Air Liquide S.A. strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostDistribution ControlOperational ExcellenceCompliance AdvantageIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleScope Economies

Waters Corporation strengths

Data Workflow LockinBrand TrustInstalled 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%

Waters Corporation segments

Full profile >

Waters instrument systems

Oligopoly

34.9%

Chemistry consumables

Competitive

19.1%

Waters service & software maintenance

Competitive

34%

TA instrument systems & service

Oligopoly

12%

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.