VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Duolingo, Inc. vs Illinois Tool Works Inc.

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

Duolingo, Inc.

DUOL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$8.6B
Gross margin (TTM)72%
Operating margin (TTM)11%
Net margin (TTM)40%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySoftware - Application
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
68/ 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 Duolingo, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View DUOL analysis

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

ITW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$73.1B
Gross margin (TTM)43.6%
Operating margin (TTM)26.2%
Net margin (TTM)19.1%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
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: Duolingo, Inc. leads (68 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Illinois Tool Works Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Duolingo, Inc. has 2 segments (93.9% in Duolingo App); Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM).
  • Moat breadth: Duolingo, Inc. has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Duolingo, Inc.

Duolingo App

Market

Mobile-first, freemium language learning and adjacent subjects (math, music)

Geography

Global

Customer

Consumers (end-users); advertisers

Role

Digital learning platform / content & software publisher

Revenue share

93.9%

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

Duolingo, Inc.
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
DUOL - NASDAQ
ITW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$8.6B
$73.1B
Gross margin (TTM)
72%
43.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
11%
26.2%
Net margin (TTM)
40%
19.1%
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
Software - Application
Industrial - Machinery
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Duolingo App
Automotive OEM
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
68 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-06
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustDesign In QualificationOperational Excellence

Duolingo, Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsHabit DefaultScope Economies

Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesSwitching Costs GeneralFormulation and application engineering know-howIP Choke Point

Segment mix

Duolingo, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Duolingo App

Competitive

93.9%

Duolingo English Test

Oligopoly

6.1%

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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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.