VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Sunday, January 11, 2026

Stock Comparison

DSM-Firmenich AG vs Waters Corporation

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

DSM-Firmenich AG

DSFIR · Euronext Amsterdam

Market cap (USD)$17.9B
Gross margin (TTM)34.1%
Operating margin (TTM)9.2%
Net margin (TTM)5.5%
SectorMaterials
IndustryHousehold & Personal Products
CountryCH
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
63/ 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 DSM-Firmenich AG's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View DSFIR 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 63 / 100 for DSM-Firmenich AG).
  • Segment focus: DSM-Firmenich AG has 4 segments (31% in Perfumery & Beauty); Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • Moat breadth: DSM-Firmenich AG has 10 moat types across 4 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.

Primary market context

DSM-Firmenich AG

Perfumery & Beauty

Market

B2B fragrances, perfumery ingredients, and beauty ingredients

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumer brands (fine fragrance, personal care, home care) and beauty brands

Role

Ingredient supplier / fragrance house (co-creation + ingredient palette)

Revenue share

31%

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

DSM-Firmenich AG
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
DSFIR - Euronext Amsterdam
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$17.9B
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
34.1%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
9.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
5.5%
n/a
Sector
Materials
Healthcare
Industry
Household & Personal Products
n/a
HQ country
CH
US
Primary segment
Perfumery & Beauty
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
63 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal, Network
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Supply Chain ControlDesign In QualificationService Field NetworkData Workflow Lockin

DSM-Firmenich AG strengths

Training Org Change CostsIP Choke PointScope EconomiesLearning Curve YieldCompliance AdvantageEcosystem Complements

Waters Corporation strengths

Brand TrustInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term Contracts

Segment mix

DSM-Firmenich AG segments

Full profile >

Perfumery & Beauty

Oligopoly

31%

Taste, Texture & Health

Oligopoly

25.4%

Health, Nutrition & Care

Competitive

17.3%

Animal Nutrition & Health

Competitive

26%

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.