VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

American Water Works Company, Inc. vs Symrise AG

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

American Water Works Company, Inc.

AWK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$25B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorUtilities
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
79/ 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 American Water Works Company, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AWK analysis

Symrise AG

SY1 · Xetra

Market cap (USD)$9.8B
Gross margin (TTM)40.3%
Operating margin (TTM)0.7%
Net margin (TTM)10.2%
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
CountryDE
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
69/ 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 Symrise AG's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SY1 analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: American Water Works Company, Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 69 / 100 for Symrise AG).
  • Segment focus: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 2 segments (91.7% in Regulated Businesses); Symrise AG has 2 segments (61.8% in Taste, Nutrition & Health).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: American Water Works Company, Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Symrise AG has 5 across 3.

Primary market context

American Water Works Company, Inc.

Regulated Businesses

Market

Regulated water and wastewater utility service in certificated/franchised territories

Geography

United States (14-state footprint)

Customer

Residential, commercial, industrial, public authority, fire service, and sale-for-resale customers

Role

Regulated utility owner/operator (water & wastewater)

Revenue share

91.7%

Symrise AG

Taste, Nutrition & Health

Market

Food & beverage flavor ingredients and pet food ingredients

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B (food & beverage, pet food, aquafeed manufacturers)

Role

Ingredient/formulation supplier

Revenue share

61.8%

Side-by-side metrics

American Water Works Company, Inc.
Symrise AG
Ticker / Exchange
AWK - New York Stock Exchange
SY1 - Xetra
Market cap (USD)
$25B
$9.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
40.3%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
0.7%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
10.2%
Sector
Utilities
Materials
Industry
n/a
Chemicals - Specialty
HQ country
US
DE
Primary segment
Regulated Businesses
Taste, Nutrition & Health
Market structure
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
12%-16% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
958
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
79 / 100
69 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-09
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

American Water Works Company, Inc. strengths

Concession LicensePhysical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayCompliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit CostLong Term ContractsGovernment Contracting RelationshipsOperational Excellence

Symrise AG strengths

Design In QualificationPreferential Input AccessScope EconomiesIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow Scale

Segment mix

American Water Works Company, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Regulated Businesses

Monopoly

91.7%

Military and Contract Water Services (Other)

Duopoly

8.3%

Symrise AG segments

Full profile >

Taste, Nutrition & Health

Oligopoly

61.8%

Scent & Care

Oligopoly

38.2%

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.