VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Illinois Tool Works Inc. vs Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.

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)$73B
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

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.

ODFL · The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Market cap (USD)$33.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
IndustryTrucking
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
76/ 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 Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ODFL analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. leads (76 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Illinois Tool Works Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM); Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. has 2 segments (99.1% in LTL Services).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. has 7 across 2.

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%

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.

LTL Services

Market

North American less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation

Geography

North America (primarily United States)

Customer

B2B shippers

Role

Asset-based LTL carrier (terminal network + pickup & delivery + linehaul)

Revenue share

99.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ITW - New York Stock Exchange
ODFL - The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Market cap (USD)
$73B
$33.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
43.6%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
26.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
19.1%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Industrials
Industry
Industrial - Machinery
Trucking
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Automotive OEM
LTL Services
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
11%-14% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
66 / 100
76 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational ExcellenceSwitching Costs General

Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationBrand TrustService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesFormulation and application engineering know-howIP Choke Point

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. strengths

Physical Network DensityCapex Knowhow ScaleReputation ReviewsSuite BundlingProcurement Inertia

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%

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. segments

Full profile >

LTL Services

Oligopoly

99.1%

Other Services (Value-added logistics)

Competitive

0.9%

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.