VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. vs Pool Corporation

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)$17.1B
Gross margin (TTM)36.4%
Operating margin (TTM)-3.2%
Net margin (TTM)-3.7%
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
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

Pool Corporation

POOL · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$8.8B
Gross margin (TTM)29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)11.1%
Net margin (TTM)7.8%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Distribution
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
56/ 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 Pool Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View POOL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. leads (59 / 100 vs 56 / 100 for Pool Corporation).
  • Segment focus: International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 4 segments (31.2% in Food Ingredients); Pool Corporation has 1 segment (100% in Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)).
  • Moat breadth: International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Pool Corporation has 5 across 2.

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%

Pool Corporation

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Market

Wholesale distribution of swimming pool, irrigation/landscape, and related outdoor living products

Geography

North America (majority), with operations in Europe and Australia

Customer

Pool builders/remodelers, pool service/repair professionals, specialty pool retailers, irrigation/landscape contractors, commercial pool operators

Role

Distributor / wholesaler

Revenue share

100%

Side-by-side metrics

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
Pool Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
IFF - New York Stock Exchange
POOL - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$17.1B
$8.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
36.4%
29.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
-3.2%
11.1%
Net margin (TTM)
-3.7%
7.8%
Sector
Materials
Industrials
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
Industrial - Distribution
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Food Ingredients
Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Weak
Moat score
59 / 100
56 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scale Economies Unit Cost

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. strengths

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

Pool Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityScope EconomiesProcurement InertiaData Workflow Lockin

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%

Pool Corporation segments

Full profile >

Wholesale distribution (pool, irrigation, outdoor living)

Competitive

100%

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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.