VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. vs Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

APD · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$55.1B
SectorMaterials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-27
Moat score
70/ 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 Products and Chemicals, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View APD analysis

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

ITW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
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 Illinois Tool Works Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ITW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. leads (70 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Illinois Tool Works Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has 3 segments (51.3% in On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)); Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)

Market

On-site supply of industrial gases (oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, etc.)

Geography

Global

Customer

Large-volume industrial customers (refining, chemicals, metals, electronics)

Role

Producer / operator of on-site plants and pipeline networks

Revenue share

51.3%

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Automotive OEM

Market

Automotive OEM engineered components and fasteners

Geography

Global

Customer

Automotive OEMs and Tier suppliers

Role

Component supplier

Revenue share

20%

Side-by-side metrics

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
APD - New York Stock Exchange
ITW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$55.1B
n/a
Sector
Materials
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)
Automotive OEM
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
70 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-27
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Installed Base ConsumablesOperational Excellence

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. strengths

Long Term ContractsPermits Rights Of WayCapex Knowhow ScalePhysical Network Density

Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationBrand TrustService Field NetworkSwitching Costs GeneralFormulation and application engineering know-howIP Choke Point

Segment mix

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. segments

Full profile >

On-site industrial gases (incl. pipelines)

Oligopoly

51.3%

Merchant gases (liquid bulk + packaged)

Competitive

44.3%

Industrial gases equipment (cryogenic & gas processing)

Competitive

4.3%

Illinois Tool Works Inc. segments

Full profile >

Automotive OEM

Competitive

20%

Food Equipment

Oligopoly

16.6%

Test & Measurement and Electronics

Oligopoly

17.7%

Welding

Oligopoly

11.6%

Polymers & Fluids

Competitive

11.1%

Construction Products

Competitive

12%

Specialty Products

Oligopoly

10.9%

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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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.