VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Halma plc vs Illinois Tool Works Inc.

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

Halma plc

HLMA · London Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorTechnology
Industry
CountryGB
Data as of2026-01-02
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 Halma plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HLMA analysis

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

ITW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$73B
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: Illinois Tool Works Inc. leads (66 / 100 vs 59 / 100 for Halma plc).
  • Segment focus: Halma plc has 3 segments (40% in Safety); Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM).
  • Moat breadth: Halma plc has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Halma plc

Safety

Market

Safety technologies (fire safety, public safety, worker safety, and protection of critical assets/infrastructure)

Geography

Global

Customer

Commercial/industrial facility owners and operators; infrastructure operators; installers and OEM channels

Role

Technology OEM / component + systems supplier

Revenue share

40%

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

Halma plc
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
HLMA - London Stock Exchange
ITW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$73B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
43.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
26.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
19.1%
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
n/a
Industrial - Machinery
HQ country
GB
US
Primary segment
Safety
Automotive OEM
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
59 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Demand
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-02
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Design In QualificationSwitching Costs General

Halma plc strengths

Compliance AdvantageProcurement Inertia

Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths

Operational ExcellenceBrand TrustService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesFormulation and application engineering know-howIP Choke Point

Segment mix

Halma plc segments

Full profile >

Safety

Competitive

40%

Environmental & Analysis

Competitive

35%

Healthcare

Competitive

25%

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.

View the moat stocks list

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.