VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Air Liquide S.A. vs Applied Materials, Inc.

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

Air Liquide S.A.

AI · Euronext Paris

Market cap (USD)$91.6B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorMaterials
IndustryChemicals - Specialty
CountryFR
Data as of2026-01-08
Moat score
58/ 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 Air Liquide S.A.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AI analysis

Applied Materials, Inc.

AMAT · The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

Market cap (USD)$239.9B
Gross margin (TTM)48.7%
Operating margin (TTM)29.2%
Net margin (TTM)24.7%
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 58 / 100 for Air Liquide S.A.).
  • Segment focus: Air Liquide S.A. has 6 segments (44% in Industrial Merchant); Applied Materials, Inc. has 2 segments (73.3% in Semiconductor Systems).
  • Primary market structure: Competitive vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Air Liquide S.A. has 12 moat types across 3 domains; Applied Materials, Inc. has 7 across 3.

Primary market context

Air Liquide S.A.

Industrial Merchant

Market

Merchant industrial and medical gases distribution (cylinders, bulk liquids) plus related equipment and services

Geography

Global (local/regional distribution markets)

Customer

SMEs and mid-market industrial customers, contractors, labs, and public sector buyers

Role

Distributor + producer (last-mile logistics, cylinder assets, bulk delivery)

Revenue share

44%

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

Air Liquide S.A.
Applied Materials, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AI - Euronext Paris
AMAT - The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Market cap (USD)
$91.6B
$239.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
48.7%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
29.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
24.7%
Sector
Materials
Technology
Industry
Chemicals - Specialty
Semiconductors
HQ country
FR
US
Primary segment
Industrial Merchant
Semiconductor Systems
Market structure
Competitive
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
16%-20% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
58 / 100
76 / 100
Moat domains
Demand, Supply, Legal
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-08
2025-12-22

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term ContractsService Field NetworkDesign In QualificationIP Choke PointCapex Knowhow ScaleScope Economies

Air Liquide S.A. strengths

Physical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostDistribution ControlOperational ExcellenceCompliance AdvantageSupply Chain Control

Applied Materials, Inc. strengths

Installed Base Consumables

Segment mix

Air Liquide S.A. segments

Full profile >

Large Industries

Oligopoly

26%

Industrial Merchant

Competitive

44%

Healthcare

Competitive

16%

Electronics

Oligopoly

9%

Engineering & Construction

Competitive

2%

Global Markets & Technologies

Competitive

3%

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.