VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Ferguson Enterprises Inc. vs International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

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

Ferguson Enterprises Inc.

FERG · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$44.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
72/ 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 Ferguson Enterprises Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View FERG 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
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: Ferguson Enterprises Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 59 / 100 for International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Ferguson Enterprises Inc. has 2 segments (95.1% in United States); International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 4 segments (31.2% in Food Ingredients).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Ferguson Enterprises Inc. has 4 moat types across 2 domains; International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Ferguson Enterprises Inc.

United States

Market

Value-added distribution of plumbing, HVAC, PVF, waterworks and related products/services

Geography

United States

Customer

Residential and non-residential professional trade customers (contractors/builders) plus industrial and infrastructure customers

Role

Value-added distributor (B2B)

Revenue share

95.1%

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

Ferguson Enterprises Inc.
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
FERG - New York Stock Exchange
IFF - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$44.7B
$17.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
36.4%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
-3.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
-3.7%
Sector
Industrials
Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
United States
Food Ingredients
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
72 / 100
59 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit Cost

Ferguson Enterprises Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityScope EconomiesData Workflow Lockin

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationIP Choke PointService Field NetworkSupply Chain ControlCompliance AdvantageSwitching Costs GeneralCapex Knowhow Scale

Segment mix

Ferguson Enterprises Inc. segments

Full profile >

United States

Competitive

95.1%

Canada

Competitive

4.9%

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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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.