VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Illinois Tool Works Inc. vs SBA Communications Corporation

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

SBA Communications Corporation

SBAC · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorReal Estate
IndustryREIT - Specialty
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
71/ 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 SBA Communications Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SBAC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: SBA Communications Corporation leads (71 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Illinois Tool Works Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM); SBA Communications Corporation has 3 segments (69.5% in Domestic Site Leasing).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; SBA Communications Corporation has 4 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%

SBA Communications Corporation

Domestic Site Leasing

Market

U.S. wireless macro tower leasing (multi-tenant co-location on communications towers)

Geography

United States and territories

Customer

Wireless service providers and other wireless network operators/tenants

Role

Independent tower owner/operator (REIT)

Revenue share

69.5%

Side-by-side metrics

Illinois Tool Works Inc.
SBA Communications Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ITW - New York Stock Exchange
SBAC - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$73B
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
Real Estate
Industry
Industrial - Machinery
REIT - Specialty
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Automotive OEM
Domestic Site Leasing
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
16%-19% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
3,710
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
66 / 100
71 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Operational Excellence

Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths

Design In QualificationBrand TrustService Field NetworkInstalled Base ConsumablesSwitching Costs GeneralFormulation and application engineering know-howIP Choke Point

SBA Communications Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityLong Term ContractsScale Economies Unit Cost

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%

SBA Communications Corporation segments

Full profile >

Domestic Site Leasing

Oligopoly

69.5%

International Site Leasing

Oligopoly

24.8%

Site Development

Competitive

5.7%

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.