Does INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES INC have an economic moat?

Based on its FY2025 SEC filings, the Moat Index scores INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES INC (IFF) 24.7 out of 100 — below the Shallow-moat bar, so no moat. The four filters behind that score (each 0–100): pricing power 56, returns on capital 13, balance-sheet safety 0, capital discipline 20.

Is IFF stock trading below its intrinsic value?

Against a deliberately conservative owner-earnings model (9% discount rate, 0% assumed growth, capped at 4%), estimated intrinsic value is $0.39 per share versus a recent price of $78.20 — 19896% above value. This is an educational estimate computed from primary SEC filings, not investment advice.

How has IFF's Moat Score changed over time?

The record logs 3 readings since Jul 17, 2026; the latest reads 24.7 out of 100 (no moat). No tier changes on record yet. The history is append-only — readings are only ever added, never rewritten.

The Moat Index

INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES INC

IFF · Materials · $20.0B mkt cap · FY2025 filings · No moat ·

Doesn't clear the bar

No moat

The four filters

Pricing power56

Median gross margin 38.6% over 10y, stable.

Returns on capital13

Median ROIC 5.6%, above the 9% hurdle in 30% of years.

Balance-sheet safety0

Net debt/EBITDA 9.3x, interest coverage -2x.

Capital discipline20

Owner earnings -34.5%/yr, share count n/a.

Margin of safety

Above valueOn sale

19896% above value

Owner earnings (normalized): $9.0M
Est. intrinsic value / share: $0.39
Recent price: $78.20
Discount to value: 19896% above value

Conservative model: 9% discount rate, 0% assumed growth (capped at 4%), maintenance capex ≈ min(capex, D&A).

19 years of fundamentals

The business, in plain English

INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES INC booked $10.9B of revenue in FY2025 in the Materials sector and kept 36.2% of it as gross profit — a solid-margin business by that measure. After every other cost, −3.3% of each revenue dollar reached the bottom line.

Across the filed record, revenue grew from $2.4B (FY2008) to $10.9B (FY2025) — about 9.3% a year compounded over 17 years.

It earned −1.5% on invested capital in FY2025, with a median of 27.3% across 17 filed years. The Returns on Capital filter above scores it 13/100.

The balance sheet carried $6.0B of total debt in FY2025 against $9.0M of owner earnings — roughly 666.0 years of owner earnings to retire it all. Balance-Sheet Safety scores it 0/100.

The share count rose 223.0% between FY2009 and FY2025 — existing owners have been diluted over the record. Capital Discipline scores it 20/100.

Put together: Pricing Power is the strongest of the four filters (56/100) and Balance-Sheet Safety the weakest (0/100), which is how IFF lands at 25/100 — a None moat.

This breakdown is generated from the filed numbers and sub-scores above — no outside narrative, no estimates. Where a filing doesn’t disclose an input, the sentence that would need it is omitted instead of guessed.

RevenueSales, as filed$10.9B FY2025

Gross marginRevenue kept after cost of goods36.2% FY2025

Return on invested capitalOperating profit on the capital employed−1.5% FY2025

Owner earningsCash an owner could take out$9.0M FY2025

Gaps in a line mean that item isn’t in IFF’s filings for that year — the series is never interpolated or estimated. The Table view lists every filed value, including operating and net margins, total debt, and share count.

Moat Score history

Moat Score over timeLast scored reading of each day, on the 0–100 scale24.7 / 100

Score history begins Jul 17, 2026 — the record builds from here and can’t be backfilled.

Tier changesSame-methodology crossings of the Wide / Narrow / Shallow bars

None yet — IFF has read No moat for every logged capture since Jul 17, 2026.

Scores are logged append-only and never overwritten — this record can’t be backfilled, which is exactly why it’s worth keeping.

Materials context

#164 of 214 scored Materials companies, ranked by Moat Score.

Nearest peers by Moat Score

#162CRC California Resources Corp25.2 out of 100, No moatNo moat
#163ACNT Ascent Industries Co.24.9 out of 100, No moatNo moat
#165ALOY REalloys Inc.24.4 out of 100, No moatNo moat
#166PACK RANPAK HOLDINGS CORP.24.2 out of 100, No moatNo moat

Compare IFF with its nearest peers →All Materials companies on the Index →

Common questions about IFF

Does INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES INC have an economic moat?: Based on its FY2025 SEC filings, the Moat Index scores INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS & FRAGRANCES INC (IFF) 24.7 out of 100 — below the Shallow-moat bar, so no moat. The four filters behind that score (each 0–100): pricing power 56, returns on capital 13, balance-sheet safety 0, capital discipline 20.
Is IFF stock trading below its intrinsic value?: Against a deliberately conservative owner-earnings model (9% discount rate, 0% assumed growth, capped at 4%), estimated intrinsic value is $0.39 per share versus a recent price of $78.20 — 19896% above value. This is an educational estimate computed from primary SEC filings, not investment advice.
How has IFF's Moat Score changed over time?: The record logs 3 readings since Jul 17, 2026; the latest reads 24.7 out of 100 (no moat). No tier changes on record yet. The history is append-only — readings are only ever added, never rewritten.

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Scored from primary SEC filings via the public methodology. Educational only — not a recommendation to buy or sell IFF. See the disclaimer.