Imperial Brands (STU:ITBA) Moat Score: 5/10 (As of Jul. 02, 2026)


STU:ITBA Imperial Brands PLC STU:ITBA
72 GF Score
Price €32.20
GF Value €19.97
! 3 Warning Signs
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What is Imperial Brands Moat Score?

Imperial Brands STU:ITBA -0.62% 72 Moat Score is 5 as of Jul. 02, 2026. GuruFocus rates STU:ITBA with a GF Score™ of 72/100 and a GF Value™ of €19.97. The stock has 3 warning signs investors should review. Among 54 Tobacco Products companies, Imperial Brands ranks better than 83.33% on this metric.

Imperial Brands has the Moat Score of 5, which implies that the company might have Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat.

Imperial Brands has Narrow Moat: Imperial Brands PLC has a solid narrow moat with strong brand strength and customer loyalty in the tobacco industry. However, it faces regulatory challenges and lacks significant network effects or cost advantages to elevate it to a wide moat.

Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more.

The company's Moat Score is based on these criteria:

1. Market leadership and sustainable market share
2. Network effects and significant customer switching costs
3. Valuable intellectual property and patents
4. Strong brand strength and deep customer loyalty
5. Durable cost advantages (e.g., economies of scale, proprietary technology)
6. Significant regulatory barriers and exclusive licenses
7. Superior distribution network
8. Strong and sustainable pricing power
9. Consistent and impactful innovation and R&D capabilities

Based on the research, GuruFocus believes Imperial Brands might have Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat.

Imperial Brands  (STU:ITBA) Moat Score Explanation

The Moat Score ranges from 0 to 10, with 10 as the highest. GuruFocus divided Moat Score into following 8 categories:

Moat Score Moat Level
10Wide Moat - Exceptionally dominant and durable wide moat
8 - 9Wide Moat - Clear and robust wide moat
7Wide Moat - Entry-level wide moat, clearly possessing durable advantages
6Narrow Moat - Strong narrow moat, clearly distinguishable but not wide
5Narrow Moat - Solid narrow moat
4Narrow Moat - Discernible but modest moat
1 - 3No Moat - Very weak/transient advantages
0No Moat - No discernible moat

Imperial Brands Moat Score Related Terms

STU:ITBA vs PM, MO, TPB: Moat Score Comparison

For the Tobacco subindustry, Imperial Brands's Moat Score, along with its competitors' market caps and Moat Score data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.

Imperial Brands Moat Score vs Tobacco Products Industry

For the Tobacco Products industry and Consumer Defensive sector, Imperial Brands's Moat Score distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Imperial Brands's Moat Score falls into.


STU:ITBA
72GF Score
Imperial Brands PLC STU:ITBA
Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Moat Score →
What does a Moat Score of 5 mean?
Imperial Brands (STU:ITBA) has a Moat Score of 5 as of Jul. 02, 2026. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. According to the industry distribution chart, Imperial Brands ranks #9 out of 54 companies in the Tobacco Products industry, placing it in the top 16.7%.
Is Imperial Brands' Moat Score too high?
Imperial Brands' current Moat Score is 5. Based on the distribution chart, Imperial Brands ranks #9 out of 54 companies in the Tobacco Products industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Imperial Brands has a GF Score™ of 72/100, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Imperial Brands' Moat Score compare to PM and MO?
According to the Tobacco Products industry distribution chart, Imperial Brands ranks #9 out of 54 companies for Moat Score. This places Imperial Brands in the top 17% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Moat Score for a Tobacco Products company?
A good Moat Score depends on the Tobacco Products industry context. However, Moat Score should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Moat Score mean?
A high Moat Score can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Moat Score is a ranking system developed by GuruFocus to assess a company's ability to sustain a competitive advantage, rated on a scale from 0 to 10. It takes into account key factors such as market leadership, cost advantages, network effects, customer switching costs, and more. Imperial Brands's current Moat Score is 5. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Imperial Brands stock overvalued right now?
Imperial Brands (STU:ITBA) has a current Moat Score of 5. The stock's GF Value™ is €19.97, compared to a current price of €32.20 — trading 61.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Moat Score is 5. Imperial Brands' overall GF Score™ is 72/100 with 3 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Moat Score calculated?
Moat Score is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Imperial Brands (STU:ITBA), the current Moat Score is 5 as of Jul. 02, 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Imperial Brands (STU:ITBA) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Imperial Brands stock appears to be overvalued. The current stock price of €32.20 is trading 61.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of €19.97.

Key valuation signals for STU:ITBA:

  • Moat Score: 5
  • GF Value™: €19.97 vs. price of €32.20 (61.2% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 72/100 with 3 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the STU:ITBA stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.

Imperial Brands Business Description

Address 121 Winterstoke Road, Bristol, GBR, BS3 2LL
Imperial Brands is the world's fourth-largest international tobacco company (excluding China National Tobacco), with total fiscal 2025 volume of 187 billion cigarettes sold in more than 120 countries. Its largest and most important markets are the US (where it sits as the third-largest manufacturer, following its acquisition of the Winston and Blu brands), Germany, the UK, Spain, and Australia. The firm also holds a leading global position in the fine-cut tobacco and hand-rolling paper categories. It has a logistics platform in Western Europe, Altadis.
72GF Score

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Moat Score is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

€32.20
Price
€19.97
GF Value