VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Illinois Tool Works Inc. vs Judges Scientific plc

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

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

ITW · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$73.1B
Gross margin (TTM)43.6%
Operating margin (TTM)26.2%
Net margin (TTM)19.1%
SectorIndustrials
IndustryIndustrial - Machinery
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

Judges Scientific plc

JDG · London Stock Exchange - AIM

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorTechnology
Industry
CountryGB
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
63/ 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 Judges Scientific plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View JDG analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Illinois Tool Works Inc. leads (66 / 100 vs 63 / 100 for Judges Scientific plc).
  • Segment focus: Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM); Judges Scientific plc has 2 segments (51.7% in Vacuum).
  • Moat breadth: Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Judges Scientific plc has 3 across 1.

Primary market context

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%

Judges Scientific plc

Vacuum

Market

Vacuum and surface-science related instrumentation (e.g., UHV/vacuum components and systems, thin-film/surface engineering adjacent tools)

Geography

Global

Customer

Research labs and high-tech manufacturing

Role

Equipment manufacturer

Revenue share

51.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Judges Scientific plc
Ticker / Exchange
ITW - New York Stock Exchange
JDG - London Stock Exchange - AIM
Market cap (USD)
$73.1B
n/a
Gross margin (TTM)
43.6%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
26.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
19.1%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Technology
Industry
Industrial - Machinery
n/a
HQ country
US
GB
Primary segment
Automotive OEM
Vacuum
Market structure
Competitive
Competitive
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
66 / 100
63 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Demand
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustSwitching Costs General

Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationOperational ExcellenceService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesFormulation and application engineering know-howIP Choke Point

Judges Scientific plc strengths

Buy-and-build acquisition engine

Segment mix

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%

Judges Scientific plc segments

Full profile >

Materials Sciences

Competitive

48.4%

Vacuum

Competitive

51.7%

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

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.