VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

Applied Materials, Inc. vs Vulcan Materials Company

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

Vulcan Materials Company

VMC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$38.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorMaterials
IndustryConstruction Materials
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-01
Moat score
73/ 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 Vulcan Materials Company's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View VMC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Applied Materials, Inc. leads (76 / 100 vs 73 / 100 for Vulcan Materials Company).
  • Segment focus: Applied Materials, Inc. has 2 segments (73.3% in Semiconductor Systems); Vulcan Materials Company has 3 segments (74.4% in Aggregates).
  • Primary market structure: Oligopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Strong.
  • Moat breadth: Applied Materials, Inc. has 7 moat types across 3 domains; Vulcan Materials Company has 5 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%

Vulcan Materials Company

Aggregates

Market

Construction aggregates (crushed stone, sand & gravel)

Geography

United States (local/regional markets)

Customer

Construction contractors and public infrastructure agencies

Role

Upstream raw materials producer

Revenue share

74.4%

Side-by-side metrics

Applied Materials, Inc.
Vulcan Materials Company
Ticker / Exchange
AMAT - The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
VMC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$211.9B
$38.3B
Gross margin (TTM)
48.7%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
29.2%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
24.7%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Materials
Industry
Semiconductors
Construction Materials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Semiconductor Systems
Aggregates
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
16%-20% (implied)
8%-11% (implied)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Strong
Moat score
76 / 100
73 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Legal, Supply
Last update
2025-12-22
2026-01-01

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

Applied Materials, Inc. strengths

Scope EconomiesCapex Knowhow ScaleDesign In QualificationIP Choke PointInstalled Base ConsumablesService Field NetworkLong Term Contracts

Vulcan Materials Company strengths

Permits Rights Of WayGeographic NaturalPhysical Network DensityScale Economies Unit CostSupply Chain Control

Segment mix

Applied Materials, Inc. segments

Full profile >

Semiconductor Systems

Oligopoly

73.3%

Applied Global Services (AGS)

Competitive

22.5%

Vulcan Materials Company segments

Full profile >

Aggregates

Oligopoly

74.4%

Asphalt

Competitive

16.8%

Concrete

Competitive

8.8%

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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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.