VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Thursday, January 1, 2026
Stock Comparison
Applied Materials, Inc. vs W.W. Grainger, 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
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 analysisW.W. Grainger, Inc.
GWW · New York Stock Exchange
Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.
Full stock profile
Dive deeper into W.W. Grainger, Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.
View GWW analysisComparison highlights
- Moat score gap: Applied Materials, Inc. leads (76 / 100 vs 65 / 100 for W.W. Grainger, Inc.).
- Segment focus: Applied Materials, Inc. has 2 segments (73.3% in Semiconductor Systems); W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 3 segments (79.9% in High-Touch Solutions N.A.).
- Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Competitive. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
- Moat breadth: Applied Materials, Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; W.W. Grainger, Inc. has 5 across 2.
Primary market context
Applied Materials, Inc.
Semiconductor Systems
Wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) and adjacent front-end process equipment (deposition, etch, CMP, metrology/inspection) plus advanced packaging tools
Global
Semiconductor manufacturers (foundry, logic, memory) and advanced packaging providers
OEM equipment supplier
73.3%
W.W. Grainger, Inc.
High-Touch Solutions N.A.
MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) products distribution and value-added inventory/procurement solutions
North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico)
Mid-size and large businesses with complex purchasing operations; also government and institutions
Distributor / wholesaler + onsite inventory services
79.9%
Side-by-side metrics
Moat coverage
Shared moat types
Applied Materials, Inc. strengths
W.W. Grainger, Inc. strengths
Segment mix
Applied Materials, Inc. segments
Full profile >Semiconductor Systems
Oligopoly
Applied Global Services (AGS)
Competitive
W.W. Grainger, Inc. segments
Full profile >High-Touch Solutions N.A.
Competitive
Endless Assortment
Competitive
Other (Cromwell U.K. + captive insurance)
Competitive
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View the moat stocks listCuration & 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.