VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Friday, January 2, 2026

Stock Comparison

ASM International N.V. vs Norfolk Southern Corporation

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

ASM International N.V.

ASM · Euronext Amsterdam

Market cap (USD)$27.2B
Gross margin (TTM)51.9%
Operating margin (TTM)30.1%
Net margin (TTM)23.9%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySemiconductors
CountryNL
Data as of2025-12-29
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 ASM International N.V.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ASM analysis

Norfolk Southern Corporation

NSC · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorIndustrials
IndustryRailroads
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-02
Moat score
70/ 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 Norfolk Southern Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View NSC analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: ASM International N.V. leads (74 / 100 vs 70 / 100 for Norfolk Southern Corporation).
  • Segment focus: ASM International N.V. has 3 segments; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 3 segments (62% in Merchandise).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: n/a vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: ASM International N.V. has 5 moat types across 3 domains; Norfolk Southern Corporation has 4 across 3.

Primary market context

ASM International N.V.

ALD equipment

Market

Single-wafer atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment for semiconductor manufacturing

Geography

Global

Customer

Semiconductor manufacturers (logic/foundry, memory)

Role

Wafer fab equipment supplier

Norfolk Southern Corporation

Merchandise

Market

Eastern U.S. freight rail transportation for industrial & consumer goods

Geography

United States (Southeast/East/Midwest; NS network + interchanges)

Customer

Manufacturers, producers, and distributors

Role

Rail carrier

Revenue share

62%

Side-by-side metrics

ASM International N.V.
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ASM - Euronext Amsterdam
NSC - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$27.2B
$65B
Gross margin (TTM)
51.9%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
30.1%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
23.9%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Industrials
Industry
Semiconductors
Railroads
HQ country
NL
US
Primary segment
ALD equipment
Merchandise
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
55%-60% (reported)
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
n/a
Moderate
Moat score
74 / 100
70 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand, Legal
Supply, Legal, Demand
Last update
2025-12-29
2026-01-02

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

No overlap yet.

ASM International N.V. strengths

Learning Curve YieldDesign In QualificationIP Choke PointInstalled Base ConsumablesService Field Network

Norfolk Southern Corporation strengths

Physical Network DensityPermits Rights Of WayScale Economies Unit CostSwitching Costs General

Segment mix

ASM International N.V. segments

Full profile >

ALD equipment

Quasi-Monopoly

n/a

Silicon epitaxy equipment

Oligopoly

n/a

Spares and services

Quasi-Monopoly

n/a

Norfolk Southern Corporation segments

Full profile >

Merchandise

Oligopoly

62%

Intermodal

Oligopoly

25%

Coal

Oligopoly

13%

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.