VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Crown Castle Inc. vs International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

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

Crown Castle Inc.

CCI · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$38.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorReal Estate
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
84/ 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 Crown Castle Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CCI analysis

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

IFF · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$17.4B
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: Crown Castle Inc. leads (84 / 100 vs 59 / 100 for International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Crown Castle Inc. has 2 segments (67% in Towers); International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 4 segments (31.2% in Food Ingredients).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Crown Castle Inc. has 3 moat types across 3 domains; International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Crown Castle Inc.

Towers

Market

U.S. macrocell tower leasing (wireless site rental)

Geography

United States

Customer

Mobile network operators

Role

Infrastructure owner/lessor

Revenue share

67%

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

Crown Castle Inc.
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CCI - New York Stock Exchange
IFF - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$38.7B
$17.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
36.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
-3.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
-3.7%
Sector
Real Estate
Materials
Industry
n/a
Chemicals - Specialty
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Towers
Food Ingredients
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
16%-26% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Weak
Moat score
84 / 100
59 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Legal, Demand
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Crown Castle Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayLong Term Contracts

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationIP Choke PointService Field NetworkSupply Chain ControlCompliance AdvantageSwitching Costs GeneralCapex Knowhow ScaleScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Crown Castle Inc. segments

Full profile >

Towers

Oligopoly

67%

Fiber (small cells + fiber solutions)

Competitive

33%

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.

View the moat stocks list

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.