VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. vs International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

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

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.

HLT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$66.8B
SectorConsumer
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 Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HLT analysis

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.

IFF · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$17.4B
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: Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. leads (72 / 100 vs 59 / 100 for International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. has 2 segments (72.7% in Management and Franchise); International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 4 segments (31.2% in Food Ingredients).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.

Management and Franchise

Market

Hotel management, franchising and brand licensing

Geography

Global

Customer

Third-party hotel owners / franchisees and strategic partners

Role

Franchisor / manager / IP licensor

Revenue share

72.7%

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

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc.
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
HLT - New York Stock Exchange
IFF - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$66.8B
$17.4B
Sector
Consumer
Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Management and Franchise
Food Ingredients
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
13%-15% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
1,350
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
72 / 100
59 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Supply
Demand, Legal, Supply
Last update
2026-01-01
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit Cost

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkLong Term ContractsBrand TrustEcosystem Complements

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. strengths

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

Segment mix

Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. segments

Full profile >

Management and Franchise

Oligopoly

72.7%

Ownership

Competitive

27.3%

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.