Does Sensient Technologies Corp have an economic moat?

Based on its FY2025 SEC filings, the Moat Index scores Sensient Technologies Corp (SXT) 42.5 out of 100 — a Shallow moat. The four filters behind that score (each 0–100): pricing power 58, returns on capital 30, balance-sheet safety 33, capital discipline 48.

Is SXT stock trading below its intrinsic value?

Against a deliberately conservative owner-earnings model (9% discount rate, 3% assumed growth, capped at 4%), estimated intrinsic value is $50.68 per share versus a recent price of $109.05 — 115% above value. This is an educational estimate computed from primary SEC filings, not investment advice.

How has SXT's Moat Score changed over time?

The record logs 3 readings since Jul 17, 2026; the latest reads 42.5 out of 100 (shallow moat). No tier changes on record yet. The history is append-only — readings are only ever added, never rewritten.

The Moat Index

Sensient Technologies Corp

SXT · Materials · $4.6B mkt cap · FY2025 filings · Shallow moat ·

Doesn't clear the bar

Shallow moat

The four filters

Pricing power58

Median gross margin 33.2% over 8y, very stable.

Returns on capital30

Median ROIC 8.6%, above the 9% hurdle in 40% of years.

Balance-sheet safety33

Net debt/EBITDA 2.5x, interest coverage 7x.

Capital discipline48

Owner earnings +0.7%/yr, share count shrinking (buybacks).

Margin of safety

Above valueOn sale

115% above value

Owner earnings (normalized): $125.8M
Est. intrinsic value / share: $50.68
Recent price: $109.05
Discount to value: 115% above value

Conservative model: 9% discount rate, 3% assumed growth (capped at 4%), maintenance capex ≈ min(capex, D&A).

19 years of fundamentals

The business, in plain English

Sensient Technologies Corp booked $1.6B of revenue in FY2025 in the Materials sector and kept 33.5% of it as gross profit — a moderate-margin business by that measure. After every other cost, 8.3% of each revenue dollar reached the bottom line.

Across the filed record, revenue grew from $1.3B (FY2008) to $1.6B (FY2025) — about 1.5% a year compounded over 17 years.

It earned 8.4% on invested capital in FY2025, with a median of 8.4% across 17 filed years. The Returns on Capital filter above scores it 30/100.

The balance sheet carried $709.6M of total debt in FY2025 against $134.5M of owner earnings — roughly 5.3 years of owner earnings to retire it all. Balance-Sheet Safety scores it 33/100.

The share count fell 14.9% between FY2010 and FY2025 — management has been retiring shares, which concentrates each remaining owner's claim. Capital Discipline scores it 48/100.

Put together: Pricing Power is the strongest of the four filters (58/100) and Returns on Capital the weakest (30/100), which is how SXT lands at 43/100 — a Shallow 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$1.6B FY2025

Gross marginRevenue kept after cost of goods33.5% FY2025

Return on invested capitalOperating profit on the capital employed8.4% FY2025

Owner earningsCash an owner could take out$134.5M FY2025

Gaps in a line mean that item isn’t in SXT’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 scale42.5 / 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 — SXT has read Shallow 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

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

Nearest peers by Moat Score

#90MLM MARTIN MARIETTA MATERIALS INC43.3 out of 100, Shallow moatShallow moat
#91SCHL SCHOLASTIC CORPORATION42.7 out of 100, Shallow moatShallow moat
#93YCBD cbdMD, Inc.42.5 out of 100, Shallow moatShallow moat
#94CE CELANESE CORPORATION42.1 out of 100, Shallow moatShallow moat

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

Common questions about SXT

Does Sensient Technologies Corp have an economic moat?: Based on its FY2025 SEC filings, the Moat Index scores Sensient Technologies Corp (SXT) 42.5 out of 100 — a Shallow moat. The four filters behind that score (each 0–100): pricing power 58, returns on capital 30, balance-sheet safety 33, capital discipline 48.
Is SXT stock trading below its intrinsic value?: Against a deliberately conservative owner-earnings model (9% discount rate, 3% assumed growth, capped at 4%), estimated intrinsic value is $50.68 per share versus a recent price of $109.05 — 115% above value. This is an educational estimate computed from primary SEC filings, not investment advice.
How has SXT's Moat Score changed over time?: The record logs 3 readings since Jul 17, 2026; the latest reads 42.5 out of 100 (shallow 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 SXT. See the disclaimer.