VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Stock Comparison

Applied Materials, Inc. vs CDW Corporation

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)$226.5B
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

CDW Corporation

CDW · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$17.4B
Gross margin (TTM)21.6%
Operating margin (TTM)7.4%
Net margin (TTM)4.8%
SectorTechnology
IndustryInformation Technology Services
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
52/ 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 CDW Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CDW analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Applied Materials, Inc. leads (76 / 100 vs 52 / 100 for CDW Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Applied Materials, Inc. has 2 segments (73.3% in Semiconductor Systems); CDW Corporation has 4 segments (42.1% in Corporate).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Weak.
  • Moat breadth: Applied Materials, Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; CDW Corporation has 6 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%

CDW Corporation

Corporate

Market

IT solutions provider / value-added reseller (VAR) + services for U.S. private-sector businesses (250+ employees)

Geography

United States

Customer

Private-sector enterprises (mid-market and large)

Role

Value-added reseller / systems integrator

Revenue share

42.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Applied Materials, Inc.
CDW Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
AMAT - The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
CDW - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$226.5B
$17.4B
Gross margin (TTM)
48.7%
21.6%
Operating margin (TTM)
29.2%
7.4%
Net margin (TTM)
24.7%
4.8%
Sector
Technology
Technology
Industry
Semiconductors
Information Technology Services
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Semiconductor Systems
Corporate
Market structure
Oligopoly
Competitive
Market share
16%-20% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Weak
Moat score
76 / 100
52 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-22
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Scope EconomiesService Field Network

Applied Materials, Inc. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleDesign In QualificationIP Choke PointInstalled Base ConsumablesLong Term Contracts

CDW Corporation strengths

Preferential Input AccessProcurement InertiaOperational ExcellenceGovernment Contracting Relationships

Segment mix

Applied Materials, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Semiconductor Systems

Oligopoly

73.3%

Applied Global Services (AGS)

Competitive

22.5%

CDW Corporation segments

Full profile >

Corporate

Competitive

42.1%

Small Business

Competitive

7.3%

Public

Competitive

38.8%

Other (UK & Canada)

Competitive

11.8%

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.

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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.