VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

James Hardie Industries plc vs Waters Corporation

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

James Hardie Industries plc

JHX · ASX

Market cap (USD)$18.8B
Gross margin (TTM)36.3%
Operating margin (TTM)13.6%
Net margin (TTM)4.7%
SectorMaterials
IndustryConstruction Materials
CountryIE
Data as of2025-12-28
Moat score
74/ 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 James Hardie Industries plc's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View JHX analysis

Waters Corporation

WAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
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 Waters Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WAT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: James Hardie Industries plc leads (74 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Waters Corporation).
  • Segment focus: James Hardie Industries plc has 4 segments (64.2% in Siding & Trim); Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: James Hardie Industries plc has 5 moat types across 2 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.

Primary market context

James Hardie Industries plc

Siding & Trim

Market

North American fiber cement exterior siding & trim (plus related exterior products)

Geography

North America (primarily U.S. and Canada)

Customer

Homebuilders, contractors, remodelers, dealers/distributors, and retailers

Role

Manufacturer / branded building-products supplier

Revenue share

64.2%

Waters Corporation

Waters instrument systems

Market

Liquid chromatography (LC/UPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analytical instrument systems (including LC-MS workflows and instrument control/data system software)

Geography

Global

Customer

Pharma/biotech, industrial, academic and government laboratories

Role

OEM + software/platform provider

Revenue share

34.9%

Side-by-side metrics

James Hardie Industries plc
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
JHX - ASX
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$18.8B
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
36.3%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
13.6%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
4.7%
n/a
Sector
Materials
Healthcare
Industry
Construction Materials
n/a
HQ country
IE
US
Primary segment
Siding & Trim
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
88%-92% (estimated)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-28
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Brand TrustLong Term Contracts

James Hardie Industries plc strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleOperational ExcellenceDistribution Control

Waters Corporation strengths

Data Workflow LockinDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesSupply Chain ControlService Field Network

Segment mix

James Hardie Industries plc segments

Full profile >

Siding & Trim

Quasi-Monopoly

64.2%

Deck, Rail & Accessories

Oligopoly

11.7%

Australia & New Zealand

Oligopoly

11.6%

Europe

Competitive

12.5%

Waters Corporation segments

Full profile >

Waters instrument systems

Oligopoly

34.9%

Chemistry consumables

Competitive

19.1%

Waters service & software maintenance

Competitive

34%

TA instrument systems & service

Oligopoly

12%

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.