VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Stock Comparison

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. vs Illinois Tool Works Inc.

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

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

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

ITW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)
SectorIndustrials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-31
Moat score
66/ 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 Illinois Tool Works Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ITW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. leads (83 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Illinois Tool Works Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 3 segments (60.8% in Instruments and Accessories); Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. has 9 moat types across 4 domains; Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

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%

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Automotive OEM

Market

Automotive OEM engineered components and fasteners

Geography

Global

Customer

Automotive OEMs and Tier suppliers

Role

Component supplier

Revenue share

20%

Side-by-side metrics

Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ISRG - NASDAQ
ITW - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
n/a
n/a
Sector
Healthcare
Industrials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Instruments and Accessories
Automotive OEM
Market structure
Monopoly
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
83 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Network, Legal
Demand, Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-31

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Installed Base ConsumablesIP Choke PointService Field Network

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleTraining Org Change CostsEcosystem ComplementsProcurement InertiaData Workflow LockinLong Term Contracts

Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationOperational ExcellenceBrand TrustSwitching Costs GeneralFormulation and application engineering know-how

Segment mix

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Systems

Quasi-Monopoly

23.5%

Instruments and Accessories

Monopoly

60.8%

Services

Monopoly

15.6%

Illinois Tool Works Inc. segments

Full profile >

Automotive OEM

Competitive

20%

Food Equipment

Oligopoly

16.6%

Test & Measurement and Electronics

Oligopoly

17.7%

Welding

Oligopoly

11.6%

Polymers & Fluids

Competitive

11.1%

Construction Products

Competitive

12%

Specialty Products

Oligopoly

10.9%

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.