VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

Applied Materials, Inc. vs CME Group 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)$203.3B
SectorTechnology
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

CME Group Inc.

CME · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
81/ 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 CME Group Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CME analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: CME Group Inc. leads (81 / 100 vs 76 / 100 for Applied Materials, Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Applied Materials, Inc. has 2 segments (73.3% in Semiconductor Systems); CME Group Inc. has 3 segments (81.4% in Trading and Clearing (Derivatives + Cash Markets Platforms)).
  • Moat breadth: Applied Materials, Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; CME Group Inc. has 10 across 5.

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%

CME Group Inc.

Trading and Clearing (Derivatives + Cash Markets Platforms)

Market

Exchange-traded derivatives (futures and options) trading and central counterparty clearing; plus electronic cash markets matching (U.S. Treasuries/repo, spot FX) tied to CME platforms

Geography

Global (core U.S. footprint with international participation)

Customer

Institutional and professional traders; commercial hedgers; banks; broker-dealers; futures commission merchants (FCMs); asset managers; proprietary trading firms; governments and central banks

Role

Market operator (exchange/venue) + central counterparty clearing provider

Revenue share

81.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Applied Materials, Inc.
CME Group Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AMAT - The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
CME - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$203.3B
n/a
Sector
Technology
Financials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Semiconductor Systems
Trading and Clearing (Derivatives + Cash Markets Platforms)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
16%-20% (implied)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
81 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Network, Legal, Supply, Financial, Demand
Last update
2025-12-22
2025-12-30

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

IP Choke Point

Applied Materials, Inc. strengths

Scope EconomiesCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In QualificationInstalled Base ConsumablesService Field NetworkLong Term Contracts

CME Group Inc. strengths

Two Sided NetworkClearing SettlementConcession LicenseScale Economies Unit CostBenchmark Pricing PowerData Workflow LockinDe Facto StandardDistribution ControlSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

Applied Materials, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Semiconductor Systems

Oligopoly

73.3%

Applied Global Services (AGS)

Competitive

22.5%

CME Group Inc. segments

Full profile >

Trading and Clearing (Derivatives + Cash Markets Platforms)

Oligopoly

81.4%

Market Data and Information Services

Monopoly

11.6%

Access, Connectivity and Other Exchange Services

Monopoly

7%

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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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.