VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Thursday, January 8, 2026

Wide Moat StocksExpansion-Stage Stocks Home My Collections

Stock Comparison

Applied Materials, Inc. vs KKR & Co. 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)$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

KKR & Co. Inc.

KKR · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$119.9B
Gross margin (TTM)19.5%
Operating margin (TTM)2.6%
Net margin (TTM)14.1%
SectorFinancials
IndustryAsset Management
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
67/ 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 KKR & Co. Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View KKR analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Applied Materials, Inc. leads (76 / 100 vs 67 / 100 for KKR & Co. Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Applied Materials, Inc. has 2 segments (73.3% in Semiconductor Systems); KKR & Co. Inc. has 3 segments (52.3% in Asset Management).
  • Moat breadth: Applied Materials, Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; KKR & Co. Inc. has 7 across 4.

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%

KKR & Co. Inc.

Asset Management

Market

Alternative asset management (private equity, private credit, real assets, and related strategies)

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional and wealth investors (LPs) allocating to private markets

Role

General partner / investment manager

Revenue share

52.3%

Side-by-side metrics

Applied Materials, Inc.
KKR & Co. Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
AMAT - The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
KKR - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$226.5B
$119.9B
Gross margin (TTM)
48.7%
19.5%
Operating margin (TTM)
29.2%
2.6%
Net margin (TTM)
24.7%
14.1%
Sector
Technology
Financials
Industry
Semiconductors
Asset Management
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Semiconductor Systems
Asset Management
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
16%-20% (implied)
3.5%-5% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
67 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Demand, Supply, Financial, Legal
Last update
2025-12-22
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Long Term Contracts

Applied Materials, Inc. strengths

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

KKR & Co. Inc. strengths

Brand TrustScale Economies Unit CostDeal sourcing and origination relationshipsFloat PrepaymentCompliance AdvantageCapital markets and exit execution capability

Segment mix

Applied Materials, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Semiconductor Systems

Oligopoly

73.3%

Applied Global Services (AGS)

Competitive

22.5%

KKR & Co. Inc. segments

Full profile >

Asset Management

Oligopoly

52.3%

Insurance

Competitive

46.5%

Strategic Holdings

Competitive

1.2%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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

View the moat stocks list

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.