VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

W.W. Grainger, Inc. vs IDEX Corporation

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

W.W. Grainger, Inc.

GWW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
65/ 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 W.W. Grainger, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View GWW analysis

IDEX Corporation

IEX · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$13.4B
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-23
Moat score
58/ 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 IDEX Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View IEX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: W.W. Grainger, Inc. leads (65 / 100 vs 58 / 100 for IDEX Corporation).
  • Segment focus: W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 3 segments (79.9% in High-Touch Solutions N.A.); IDEX Corporation has 3 segments (39.6% in Health & Science Technologies (HST)).
  • Moat breadth: W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; IDEX Corporation has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

W.W. Grainger, Inc.

High-Touch Solutions N.A.

Market

MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) products distribution and value-added inventory/procurement solutions

Geography

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico)

Customer

Mid-size and large businesses with complex purchasing operations; also government and institutions

Role

Distributor / wholesaler + onsite inventory services

Revenue share

79.9%

IDEX Corporation

Health & Science Technologies (HST)

Market

Precision fluidics, optics/photonics, microfluidics, sealing solutions, pneumatic components, and process technologies for life science/diagnostics, semiconductor, aerospace/defense, and industrial markets

Geography

Global

Customer

Life science & diagnostic instrument OEMs, semiconductor/industrial OEMs, specialty industrial customers

Role

Component/subsystem supplier and specialty equipment provider

Revenue share

39.6%

Side-by-side metrics

W.W. Grainger, Inc.
IDEX Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
GWW - New York Stock Exchange
IEX - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$13.4B
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
High-Touch Solutions N.A.
Health & Science Technologies (HST)
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
65 / 100
58 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-23

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Data Workflow Lockin

W.W. Grainger, Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkScale Economies Unit CostScope EconomiesOperational Excellence

IDEX Corporation strengths

Design In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesLearning Curve YieldIP Choke PointBrand TrustProcurement Inertia

Segment mix

W.W. Grainger, Inc. segments

Full profile >

High-Touch Solutions N.A.

Competitive

79.9%

Endless Assortment

Competitive

18.3%

Other (Cromwell U.K. + captive insurance)

Competitive

1.8%

IDEX Corporation segments

Full profile >

Fluid & Metering Technologies (FMT)

Competitive

37.7%

Health & Science Technologies (HST)

Competitive

39.6%

Fire & Safety/Diversified Products (FSDP)

Competitive

22.7%

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.