VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

W.W. Grainger, Inc. vs Symrise AG

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

Symrise AG

SY1 · Xetra

Market cap (USD)$14.5B
SectorMaterials
CountryDE
Data as of2025-12-29
Moat score
69/ 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 Symrise AG's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SY1 analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Symrise AG leads (69 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for W.W. Grainger, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 3 segments (79.9% in High-Touch Solutions N.A.); Symrise AG has 2 segments (61.8% in Taste, Nutrition & Health).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Symrise AG has 5 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%

Symrise AG

Taste, Nutrition & Health

Market

Food & beverage flavor ingredients and pet food ingredients

Geography

Global

Customer

B2B (food & beverage, pet food, aquafeed manufacturers)

Role

Ingredient/formulation supplier

Revenue share

61.8%

Side-by-side metrics

W.W. Grainger, Inc.
Symrise AG
Ticker / Exchange
GWW - New York Stock Exchange
SY1 - Xetra
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$14.5B
Sector
Industrials
Materials
HQ country
US
DE
Primary segment
High-Touch Solutions N.A.
Taste, Nutrition & Health
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
12%-16% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
958
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
65 / 100
69 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scope Economies

W.W. Grainger, Inc. strengths

Service Field NetworkData Workflow LockinScale Economies Unit CostOperational Excellence

Symrise AG strengths

Design In QualificationPreferential Input AccessIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow Scale

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%

Symrise AG segments

Full profile >

Taste, Nutrition & Health

Oligopoly

61.8%

Scent & Care

Oligopoly

38.2%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.