VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. vs Vulcan Materials Company

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
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

Vulcan Materials Company

VMC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$38.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorMaterials
IndustryConstruction Materials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
73/ 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 Vulcan Materials Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VMC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Vulcan Materials Company leads (73 / 100 vs 59 / 100 for International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.).
  • Segment focus: International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 4 segments (31.2% in Food Ingredients); Vulcan Materials Company has 3 segments (74.4% in Aggregates).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Weak vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Vulcan Materials Company 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%

Vulcan Materials Company

Aggregates

Market

Construction aggregates (crushed stone, sand & gravel)

Geography

United States (local/regional markets)

Customer

Construction contractors and public infrastructure agencies

Role

Upstream raw materials producer

Revenue share

74.4%

Side-by-side metrics

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.
Vulcan Materials Company
Ticker / Exchange
IFF - New York Stock Exchange
VMC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$17.4B
$38.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
36.4%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
-3.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
-3.7%
n/a
Sector
Materials
Materials
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
Construction Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Food Ingredients
Aggregates
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
8%-11% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Weak
Strong
Moat score
59 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Legal, Supply
Legal, Supply
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Supply Chain ControlScale Economies Unit Cost

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationIP Choke PointService Field NetworkCompliance AdvantageSwitching Costs GeneralCapex Knowhow Scale

Vulcan Materials Company strengths

Permits Rights Of WayGeographic NaturalPhysical Network Density

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%

Vulcan Materials Company segments

Full profile >

Aggregates

Oligopoly

74.4%

Asphalt

Competitive

16.8%

Concrete

Competitive

8.8%

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.