VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. vs Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

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

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

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

ISRG · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
SectorHealthcare
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
83/ 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 Intuitive Surgical, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ISRG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. leads (83 / 100 vs 59 / 100 for International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.).
  • Segment focus: International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 4 segments (31.2% in Food Ingredients); Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Monopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 across 4.

Primary market context

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%

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Instruments and Accessories

Market

Proprietary robotic surgery instruments, accessories, and consumables used per procedure on the da Vinci (and Ion) installed base

Geography

Global

Customer

Hospitals and surgery centers purchasing consumables; surgeons and OR teams as end users

Role

Consumables OEM within proprietary platform

Revenue share

60.8%

Side-by-side metrics

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
IFF - New York Stock Exchange
ISRG - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$17.4B
n/a
Sector
Materials
Healthcare
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Food Ingredients
Instruments and Accessories
Market structure
Competitive
Monopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Strong
Moat score
59 / 100
83 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Supply, Demand, Network, Legal
Last update
2025-12-29
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

IP Choke PointService Field NetworkCapex Knowhow Scale

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationSupply Chain ControlCompliance AdvantageSwitching Costs GeneralScale Economies Unit Cost

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths

Training Org Change CostsEcosystem ComplementsProcurement InertiaInstalled Base ConsumablesData Workflow LockinLong Term Contracts

Segment mix

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%

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Systems

Quasi-Monopoly

23.5%

Instruments and Accessories

Monopoly

60.8%

Services

Monopoly

15.6%

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.