VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Illinois Tool Works Inc. vs Vulcan Materials Company

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

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 66 / 100 for Illinois Tool Works Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM); Vulcan Materials Company has 3 segments (74.4% in Aggregates).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Vulcan Materials Company has 5 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%

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

Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Vulcan Materials Company
Ticker / Exchange
ITW - New York Stock Exchange
VMC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$73B
$38.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
43.6%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
26.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
19.1%
n/a
Sector
Industrials
Materials
Industry
Industrial - Machinery
Construction Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Automotive OEM
Aggregates
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
8%-11% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
66 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Legal, Supply
Last update
2025-12-31
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths

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

Vulcan Materials Company strengths

Permits Rights Of WayGeographic NaturalPhysical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostSupply Chain Control

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%

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?

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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.