VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

Stock Comparison

The Hershey Company vs Linde plc

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

The Hershey Company

HSY · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorConsumer
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-26
Moat score
75/ 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 The Hershey Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View HSY analysis

Linde plc

LIN · Nasdaq Stock Market

Market cap (USD)
SectorMaterials
CountryIE
Data as of2025-12-29
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 Linde plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View LIN analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: The Hershey Company leads (75 / 100 vs 72 / 100 for Linde plc).
  • Segment focus: The Hershey Company has 3 segments (81.4% in North America Confectionery); Linde plc has 4 segments (43.8% in Americas).
  • Moat breadth: The Hershey Company has 4 moat types across 2 domains; Linde plc has 5 across 3.

Primary market context

The Hershey Company

North America Confectionery

Market

Branded chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery

Geography

United States and Canada

Customer

Retail consumers via grocery, mass, club and convenience

Role

Branded manufacturer and marketer

Revenue share

81.4%

Linde plc

Americas

Market

Industrial gases (Americas)

Geography

Americas

Customer

B2B + healthcare

Role

Producer, distributor, on-site plant owner/operator

Revenue share

43.8%

Side-by-side metrics

The Hershey Company
Linde plc
Ticker / Exchange
HSY - New York Stock Exchange
LIN - Nasdaq Stock Market
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Sector
Consumer
Materials
HQ country
US
IE
Primary segment
North America Confectionery
Americas
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
34%-38% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
75 / 100
72 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-26
2025-12-29

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

The Hershey Company strengths

Brand TrustDistribution ControlOperational ExcellenceScope Economies

Linde plc strengths

Long Term ContractsPhysical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostCapex Knowhow ScaleIP Choke Point

Segment mix

The Hershey Company segments

Full profile >

North America Confectionery

Oligopoly

81.4%

North America Salty Snacks

Oligopoly

10.1%

International

Competitive

8.5%

Linde plc segments

Full profile >

Americas

Oligopoly

43.8%

EMEA

Oligopoly

25.3%

APAC

Oligopoly

20.1%

Engineering

Competitive

7%

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.