VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Stock Comparison
Illinois Tool Works Inc. vs Waters 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
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 analysisWaters Corporation
WAT · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into Waters Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View WAT analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score: both at 66 / 100.
- Segment focus: Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 7 segments (20% in Automotive OEM); Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
- Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Illinois Tool Works Inc. has 8 moat types across 3 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.
Primary market context
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Automotive OEM
Automotive OEM engineered components and fasteners
Global
Automotive OEMs and Tier suppliers
Component supplier
20%
Waters Corporation
Waters instrument systems
Liquid chromatography (LC/UPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analytical instrument systems (including LC-MS workflows and instrument control/data system software)
Global
Pharma/biotech, industrial, academic and government laboratories
OEM + software/platform provider
34.9%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Illinois Tool Works Inc. strengths
Waters Corporation strengths
Segment mix
Illinois Tool Works Inc. segments
Full profile >Automotive OEM
Competitive
Food Equipment
Oligopoly
Test & Measurement and Electronics
Oligopoly
Welding
Oligopoly
Polymers & Fluids
Competitive
Construction Products
Competitive
Specialty Products
Oligopoly
Waters Corporation segments
Full profile >Waters instrument systems
Oligopoly
Chemistry consumables
Competitive
Waters service & software maintenance
Competitive
TA instrument systems & service
Oligopoly
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Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.
View expansion-stage stocksCuration & 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.