Does PPG Industries have an economic moat?
Likely
PPG Industries earns 15.1% a year on the money invested in it and keeps 41% of every sale after production costs, the numbers of a business competitors struggle to copy.
The numbers behind it
Return on invested capital, average of recent years15.1%
Return on invested capital, latest year8.8%
Gross margin41.3%Share of each sale left after production costs
Net margin9.9%
How we decide
A moat shows up in the numbers as high returns that last. We call it likely when the average return on invested capital over recent years is at least 15% and the gross margin at least 40%, and possible from 10%. The numbers can't show where a moat comes from (brand, network, patents), only that one seems to exist.
More questions about PPG Industries
Data as of Nov 13, 2026.