VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Stock Comparison

Axcelis Technologies, Inc. vs Applied Materials, Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

ACLS · Nasdaq Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$4.4B
Gross margin (TTM)44.9%
Operating margin (TTM)14.2%
Net margin (TTM)14.3%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySemiconductors
CountryUS
Data as of2026-04-25
Moat score
64/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Axcelis Technologies, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ACLS analysis

Applied Materials, Inc.

AMAT · The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Market cap (USD)$320.5B
Gross margin (TTM)48.7%
Operating margin (TTM)29.1%
Net margin (TTM)27.8%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySemiconductors
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-22
Moat score
76/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Applied Materials, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AMAT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Applied Materials, Inc. leads (76 / 100 vs 64 / 100 for Axcelis Technologies, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Axcelis Technologies, Inc. has 2 segments (68.1% in Ion implantation systems); Applied Materials, Inc. has 2 segments (73.3% in Semiconductor Systems).
  • Moat breadth: Axcelis Technologies, Inc. has 7 moat types across 2 domains; Applied Materials, Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Ion implantation systems

Market

Global semiconductor ion implantation equipment for wafer fabrication

Geography

Global, concentrated in Asia-Pacific semiconductor fabs

Customer

Semiconductor manufacturers, foundries, IDMs, power-device makers, memory producers and logic fabs

Role

OEM supplier of high current, medium current and high energy ion implantation systems

Revenue share

68.1%

Applied Materials, Inc.

Semiconductor Systems

Market

Wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) and adjacent front-end process equipment (deposition, etch, CMP, metrology/inspection) plus advanced packaging tools

Geography

Global

Customer

Semiconductor manufacturers (foundry, logic, memory) and advanced packaging providers

Role

OEM equipment supplier

Revenue share

73.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
Applied Materials, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
ACLS - Nasdaq Global Select Market
AMAT - The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Market cap (USD)
$4.4B
$320.5B
Gross margin (TTM)
44.9%
48.7%
Operating margin (TTM)
14.2%
29.1%
Net margin (TTM)
14.3%
27.8%
Sector
Technology
Technology
Industry
Semiconductors
Semiconductors
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Ion implantation systems
Semiconductor Systems
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
19%-21% (estimated)
16%-20% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
64 / 100
76 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-04-25
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Design In QualificationCapex Knowhow ScaleInstalled Base ConsumablesService Field Network

Axcelis Technologies, Inc. strengths

Learning Curve YieldBrand TrustProcurement Inertia

Applied Materials, Inc. strengths

Scope EconomiesIP Choke PointLong Term Contracts

Segment mix

Axcelis Technologies, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Ion implantation systems

Oligopoly

68.1%

Customer Solutions & Innovation aftermarket

Competitive

31.9%

Applied Materials, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Semiconductor Systems

Oligopoly

73.3%

Applied Global Services (AGS)

Competitive

22.5%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.