The Moat Index

KADANT INC

KAI · Industrials · $3.7B mkt cap · FY2025 filings · Narrow moat

On the watchlist

72/ 100
Narrow moat

The four filters

Pricing power75

Median gross margin 43.8% over 10y, very stable.

Returns on capital89

Median ROIC 17.5%, above the 9% hurdle in 100% of years.

Balance-sheet safety48

Net debt/EBITDA n/ax, interest coverage 10x.

Capital discipline64

Owner earnings +14.4%/yr, share count growing (dilution).

Margin of safety

Above valueOn sale
60% above value
Owner earnings (normalized)
$127.7M
Est. intrinsic value / share
$194.92
Recent price
$312.21
Discount to value
60% above value

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

Moat Score history

Score history begins 2026-07-17. Check back as the record builds.

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

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KADANT INC (KAI) Moat Score — The Moat Index · Buy Like Buffett