Does LEAR CORP have an economic moat?

Based on its FY2025 SEC filings, the Moat Index scores LEAR CORP (LEA) 34.1 out of 100 — below the Shallow-moat bar, so no moat. The four filters behind that score (each 0–100): pricing power 6, returns on capital 46, balance-sheet safety 52, capital discipline 40.

Is LEA stock trading below its intrinsic value?

Against a deliberately conservative owner-earnings model (9% discount rate, 4% assumed growth, capped at 4%), estimated intrinsic value is $170.07 per share versus a recent price of $141.72 — 17% below value. This is an educational estimate computed from primary SEC filings, not investment advice.

How has LEA's Moat Score changed over time?

The record logs 3 readings since Jul 17, 2026; the latest reads 34.1 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

LEAR CORP

LEA · Consumer Discretionary · $7.2B mkt cap · FY2025 filings · No moat ·

Doesn't clear the bar

No moat

The four filters

Pricing power6

Median gross margin 7.3% over 10y, variable.

Returns on capital46

Median ROIC 10.8%, above the 9% hurdle in 60% of years.

Balance-sheet safety52

Net debt/EBITDA 1.2x, interest coverage 8x.

Capital discipline40

Owner earnings -7.6%/yr, share count shrinking (buybacks).

Margin of safety

Above valueOn sale

17% below value

Owner earnings (normalized): $479.3M
Est. intrinsic value / share: $170.07
Recent price: $141.72
Discount to value: 17% below value

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

17 years of fundamentals

The business, in plain English

LEAR CORP booked $23.3B of revenue in FY2025 in the Consumer Discretionary sector and kept 6.5% of it as gross profit — a thin-margin business by that measure. After every other cost, 1.9% of each revenue dollar reached the bottom line.

Across the filed record, revenue grew from $12.0B (FY2010) to $23.3B (FY2025) — about 4.5% a year compounded over 15 years.

It earned 8.8% on invested capital in FY2025, with a median of 17.0% across 13 filed years. The Returns on Capital filter above scores it 46/100.

The balance sheet carried $2.7B of total debt in FY2025 against $479.3M of owner earnings — roughly 5.7 years of owner earnings to retire it all. Balance-Sheet Safety scores it 52/100.

The share count fell 49.5% between FY2011 and FY2025 — management has been retiring shares, which concentrates each remaining owner's claim. Capital Discipline scores it 40/100.

Put together: Balance-Sheet Safety is the strongest of the four filters (52/100) and Pricing Power the weakest (6/100), which is how LEA lands at 34/100 — 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$23.3B FY2025

Gross marginRevenue kept after cost of goods6.5% FY2025

Return on invested capitalOperating profit on the capital employed8.8% FY2025

Owner earningsCash an owner could take out$479.3M FY2025

Gaps in a line mean that item isn’t in LEA’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 scale34.1 / 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 — LEA 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.

Consumer Discretionary context

#252 of 340 scored Consumer Discretionary companies, ranked by Moat Score.

Nearest peers by Moat Score

#250MDLK MODULINK INC.34.4 out of 100, No moatNo moat
#251AVAV AeroVironment Inc34.2 out of 100, No moatNo moat
#253RTB RYVYL INC.33.1 out of 100, No moatNo moat
#254CLAR CLARUS CORPORATION33.0 out of 100, No moatNo moat

Compare LEA with its nearest peers →All Consumer Discretionary companies on the Index →

Common questions about LEA

Does LEAR CORP have an economic moat?: Based on its FY2025 SEC filings, the Moat Index scores LEAR CORP (LEA) 34.1 out of 100 — below the Shallow-moat bar, so no moat. The four filters behind that score (each 0–100): pricing power 6, returns on capital 46, balance-sheet safety 52, capital discipline 40.
Is LEA stock trading below its intrinsic value?: Against a deliberately conservative owner-earnings model (9% discount rate, 4% assumed growth, capped at 4%), estimated intrinsic value is $170.07 per share versus a recent price of $141.72 — 17% below value. This is an educational estimate computed from primary SEC filings, not investment advice.
How has LEA's Moat Score changed over time?: The record logs 3 readings since Jul 17, 2026; the latest reads 34.1 out of 100 (no moat). No tier changes on record yet. The history is append-only — readings are only ever added, never rewritten.

Embed this score on your site

One iframe, no script. The badge shows LEA’s live Moat Score, updates itself as new filings are scored, and links back here. How it works.

<iframe
  src="https://buylikebuffett.com/embed/LEA"
  width="340" height="150" style="border:0"
  title="LEA Moat Score — The Moat Index"
  loading="lazy"></iframe>

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