The Sherwin-Williams Company engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, and sale of paint, coatings, and related products to professional, industrial, commercial and retail customers. The company operates through three segments: Paint Stores Group, Consumer Brands Group, and Performance Coatings Group. The Paint Stores Group segment offers architectural paint and coatings; protective and marine products; and OEM product finishes and related …
Full SHW analysis →
Competitive advantage assessment
Key strengths
Margins Consistently Above PeersGross margin at 48.8% (top 9%) and operating margin at 16.1% (top 14%) indicate strong pricing power.
Margins Stable Across CyclesOperating margin volatility is low (stability score 0.83), demonstrating pricing resilience across cycles.
Key risks
Liquidity ConcernsLiquidity is concerning (score 0.02), raising questions about short-term obligations.
The dashed ring is the peer median. Defense scores are percentile ranks
against peers, so 50 is roughly the typical company in this group.
Upgrade to unlock the signals and evidence behind each defense.
Premium access
Unlock full defense analysis
Get key signals, strengths, and risks for every moat dimension.
Sherwin-Williams Company (The) ranks #6 of 56
scored companies in Specialty Chemicals by moat score — the top 11%.
The widest moat in the group is WD-40 Company (WDFC)
at 81/100.
Moat scores for companies ranked near SHW in Specialty Chemicals
Pricing power is the ability to raise prices without losing volume.
Cost Advantage
Score 51
· 15% of the moat score
A cost advantage means delivering the same product for structurally less — better purchasing, denser distribution, a more automated process.
Customer Stickiness
Score 85
· 15% of the moat score
Stickiness is what makes revenue repeat without being re-won every year.
Capital Efficiency
Score 86
· 18% of the moat score
Capital efficiency asks what the company earns on the money tied up in the business.
Resilience
Score 48
· 17% of the moat score
Resilience is the capacity to get through a bad year on its own terms — enough liquidity, enough interest cover, and enough cash generation to avoid a rescue financing or a forced sale.
Scale & Market Position
Score 83
· 15% of the moat score
Scale matters only when it converts into economics.
What is Sherwin-Williams Company (The)'s moat score?
Sherwin-Williams Company (The) (SHW) scores 74 out of 100 on the StatsAlpha Moat Map, which rates its competitive advantage as moderate. It ranks #6 of 56 scored companies in Specialty Chemicals, the top 11%. The score is a weighted composite of 6 competitive defenses, each measured against industry peers of 56 companies in Specialty Chemicals. Its strongest defense is Pricing Power (86/100) and its weakest is Resilience (48/100).
How does Sherwin-Williams Company (The) compare with other Specialty Chemicals companies?
Sherwin-Williams Company (The) ranks #6 of 56 scored companies in Specialty Chemicals by moat score. The widest moat in Specialty Chemicals is WD-40 Company (WDFC) at 81/100. The companies ranked closest are Ecolab Inc. (ECL) at 75 just above it and Oil-Dri Corporation Of America (ODC) at 74 just below it.
How is the moat score calculated?
Each company is scored with an industry-specific template — Corporate Default in this case, chosen because the defenses that matter to a bank are not the ones that matter to a software company. Every defense combines several financial signals, and each signal is measured as a percentile against a peer group of 56 companies in Specialty Chemicals. The defenses are then weighted to produce the overall score out of 100.
Why is Sherwin-Williams Company (The) scored with the Corporate Default template?
Most public companies sell a product or a service at a margin, so the moat question is whether that margin survives contact with competitors. The Corporate template scores the six defenses that show up in a general operating company's financial signature: whether it can hold price, produce more cheaply than rivals, keep its customers, earn a return above its cost of capital, withstand a downturn, and turn size into economics.
Which competitive defenses are measured for Sherwin-Williams Company (The)?
The Corporate Default template measures 6 defenses, and SHW scores: Pricing Power (86), Cost Advantage (51), Customer Stickiness (85), Capital Efficiency (86), Resilience (48), Scale & Market Position (83). Each is scored independently as a percentile against peers, so a company can be strong on one and weak on another — the overall score reflects how those defenses are weighted for this industry.
We value your privacy
We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, analyze site traffic, and personalize content. By clicking 'Accept All', you consent to our use of cookies.
Read our cookie policy
Cookie Preferences
Manage your cookie preferences. Essential cookies are always enabled.