VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

General Dynamics Corporation vs Illinois Tool Works Inc.

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

General Dynamics Corporation

GD · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$92.4B
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
80/ 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 General Dynamics Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GD analysis

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

ITW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorIndustrials
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: General Dynamics Corporation leads (80 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Illinois Tool Works Inc.).
  • Segment focus: General Dynamics Corporation has 4 segments (30.1% in Marine Systems (Nuclear subs + surface shipbuilding)); Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM).
  • Primary market structure: Duopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Weak vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: General Dynamics Corporation has 11 moat types across 3 domains; Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

General Dynamics Corporation

Marine Systems (Nuclear subs + surface shipbuilding)

Market

U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine construction and major surface combatant shipbuilding/lifecycle services

Geography

United States

Customer

Government (primarily U.S. Navy)

Role

Prime contractor / shipbuilder / lifecycle services

Revenue share

30.1%

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

General Dynamics Corporation
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
GD - New York Stock Exchange
ITW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$92.4B
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Marine Systems (Nuclear subs + surface shipbuilding)
Automotive OEM
Market structure
Duopoly
Competitive
Market share
45%-55% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
5,000
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Moderate
Moat score
80 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-29
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustService Field NetworkDesign In Qualification

General Dynamics Corporation strengths

Regulated Standards PipeCapex Knowhow ScaleLong Term ContractsGovernment Contracting RelationshipsProcurement InertiaCapacity MoatCompliance AdvantageSuite Bundling

Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths

Operational ExcellenceInstalled Base ConsumablesSwitching Costs GeneralFormulation and application engineering know-howIP Choke Point

Segment mix

General Dynamics Corporation segments

Full profile >

Aerospace (Gulfstream + Jet Aviation)

Oligopoly

23.6%

Marine Systems (Nuclear subs + surface shipbuilding)

Duopoly

30.1%

Combat Systems (Land vehicles + munitions)

Oligopoly

18.9%

Technologies (C5ISR + Federal IT)

Competitive

27.5%

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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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.