VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. vs International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

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

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

ATD · Toronto Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$70.7B
Gross margin (TTM)18.5%
Operating margin (TTM)5.3%
Net margin (TTM)3.6%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountryCA
Data as of2026-01-05
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 Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ATD analysis

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

IFF · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$17.1B
Gross margin (TTM)36.4%
Operating margin (TTM)-3.2%
Net margin (TTM)-3.7%
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
59/ 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 International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View IFF analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. leads (59 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has 3 segments (74% in Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)); International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 4 segments (31.2% in Food Ingredients).
  • Moat breadth: Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.

Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)

Market

Road transportation fuel retail (gasoline/diesel) at convenience sites; includes unmanned/automated fuel stations

Geography

North America and Europe (plus select other regions via the network)

Customer

Consumers and small fleets

Role

Fuel retailer and site operator

Revenue share

74%

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

Food Ingredients

Market

Specialty food ingredients (texturizers, food protection, plant proteins, emulsifiers, sweeteners)

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B (food manufacturers)

Role

Ingredient supplier

Revenue share

31.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ATD - Toronto Stock Exchange
IFF - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$70.7B
$17.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
18.5%
36.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
5.3%
-3.2%
Net margin (TTM)
3.6%
-3.7%
Sector
Consumer
Materials
Industry
Specialty Retail
Chemicals - Specialty
HQ country
CA
US
Primary segment
Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)
Food Ingredients
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Weak
Moat score
58 / 100
59 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-05
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Supply Chain Control

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityOperational ExcellenceBrand TrustScope Economies

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationIP Choke PointService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageSwitching Costs GeneralCapex Knowhow ScaleScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. segments

Full profile >

Merchandise and services (in-store convenience retail)

Competitive

25.2%

Road transportation fuel (retail fuel and related mobility services)

Competitive

74%

Other revenues (ancillary energy and other income streams)

Competitive

0.8%

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. segments

Full profile >

Taste

Oligopoly

23.9%

Food Ingredients

Competitive

31.2%

Health & Biosciences

Oligopoly

21.4%

Scent

Oligopoly

23.6%

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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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.