VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Applied Materials, Inc. vs CSX 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)$211.9B
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

CSX Corporation

CSX · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)$67.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
IndustryRailroads
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
74/ 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 CSX Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CSX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Applied Materials, Inc. leads (76 / 100 vs 74 / 100 for CSX Corporation).
  • Segment focus: Applied Materials, Inc. has 2 segments (73.3% in Semiconductor Systems); CSX Corporation has 5 segments (61.2% in Merchandise (Rail)).
  • Moat breadth: Applied Materials, Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; CSX Corporation has 6 across 2.

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%

CSX Corporation

Merchandise (Rail)

Market

Eastern U.S. rail freight transportation (merchandise carload)

Geography

Eastern United States (CSX network; interchange to other railroads)

Customer

Industrial, agricultural, automotive and consumer goods shippers; logistics providers

Role

Common-carrier freight railroad (line-haul + switching/terminal)

Revenue share

61.2%

Side-by-side metrics

Applied Materials, Inc.
CSX Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
AMAT - The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
CSX - NASDAQ
Market cap (USD)
$211.9B
$67.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
48.7%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
29.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
24.7%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
Semiconductors
Railroads
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Semiconductor Systems
Merchandise (Rail)
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
74 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-22
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Capex Knowhow Scale

Applied Materials, Inc. strengths

Scope EconomiesDesign In QualificationIP Choke PointInstalled Base ConsumablesService Field NetworkLong Term Contracts

CSX Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayOperational ExcellenceGeographic NaturalScale Economies Unit Cost

Segment mix

Applied Materials, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Semiconductor Systems

Oligopoly

73.3%

Applied Global Services (AGS)

Competitive

22.5%

CSX Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise (Rail)

Oligopoly

61.2%

Intermodal (Rail)

Competitive

14.1%

Coal (Rail)

Oligopoly

15.5%

Trucking (Quality Carriers)

Competitive

5.8%

Other Revenue (Rail/Ancillary)

Competitive

3.4%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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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.