VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

Applied Materials, Inc. vs American Water Works Company, Inc.

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

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

American Water Works Company, Inc.

AWK · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$25B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorUtilities
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
79/ 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 American Water Works Company, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View AWK analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: American Water Works Company, Inc. leads (79 / 100 vs 76 / 100 for Applied Materials, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Applied Materials, Inc. has 2 segments (73.3% in Semiconductor Systems); American Water Works Company, Inc. has 2 segments (91.7% in Regulated Businesses).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Monopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Applied Materials, Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; American Water Works Company, Inc. has 8 across 3.

Primary market context

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%

American Water Works Company, Inc.

Regulated Businesses

Market

Regulated water and wastewater utility service in certificated/franchised territories

Geography

United States (14-state footprint)

Customer

Residential, commercial, industrial, public authority, fire service, and sale-for-resale customers

Role

Regulated utility owner/operator (water & wastewater)

Revenue share

91.7%

Side-by-side metrics

Applied Materials, Inc.
American Water Works Company, Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AMAT - The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
AWK - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$239.9B
$25B
Gross margin (TTM)
48.7%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
29.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
24.7%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Utilities
Industry
Semiconductors
n/a
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Semiconductor Systems
Regulated Businesses
Market structure
Oligopoly
Monopoly
Market share
16%-20% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
79 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Legal, Supply, Demand
Last update
2025-12-22
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term Contracts

Applied Materials, Inc. strengths

Scope EconomiesCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In QualificationIP Choke PointInstalled Base ConsumablesService Field Network

American Water Works Company, Inc. strengths

Concession LicensePhysical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayCompliance AdvantageScale Economies Unit CostGovernment Contracting RelationshipsOperational Excellence

Segment mix

Applied Materials, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Semiconductor Systems

Oligopoly

73.3%

Applied Global Services (AGS)

Competitive

22.5%

American Water Works Company, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Regulated Businesses

Monopoly

91.7%

Military and Contract Water Services (Other)

Duopoly

8.3%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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

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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.