VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Stock Comparison

ASML Holding N.V. vs Waters Corporation

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

ASML Holding N.V.

ASML · Euronext Amsterdam

Market cap (USD)$422.1B
Gross margin (TTM)52.7%
Operating margin (TTM)34.9%
Net margin (TTM)29.4%
SectorTechnology
IndustrySemiconductors
CountryNL
Data as of2025-12-21
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 ASML Holding N.V.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View ASML analysis

Waters Corporation

WAT · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorHealthcare
Industry
CountryUS
Data as of2026-01-09
Moat score
66/ 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 Waters Corporation's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View WAT analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: ASML Holding N.V. leads (76 / 100 vs 66 / 100 for Waters Corporation).
  • Segment focus: ASML Holding N.V. has 3 segments (23% in Installed Base Management (service, upgrades, field options)); Waters Corporation has 4 segments (34.9% in Waters instrument systems).
  • Primary market structure: Quasi-Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Strong vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: ASML Holding N.V. has 6 moat types across 2 domains; Waters Corporation has 7 across 2.

Primary market context

ASML Holding N.V.

Installed Base Management (service, upgrades, field options)

Market

Service, upgrades and field options for installed ASML lithography tools

Geography

Global

Customer

Owners/operators of ASML lithography systems

Role

Aftermarket service provider

Revenue share

23%

Waters Corporation

Waters instrument systems

Market

Liquid chromatography (LC/UPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) analytical instrument systems (including LC-MS workflows and instrument control/data system software)

Geography

Global

Customer

Pharma/biotech, industrial, academic and government laboratories

Role

OEM + software/platform provider

Revenue share

34.9%

Side-by-side metrics

ASML Holding N.V.
Waters Corporation
Ticker / Exchange
ASML - Euronext Amsterdam
WAT - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$422.1B
$23.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
52.7%
n/a
Operating margin (TTM)
34.9%
n/a
Net margin (TTM)
29.4%
n/a
Sector
Technology
Healthcare
Industry
Semiconductors
n/a
HQ country
NL
US
Primary segment
Installed Base Management (service, upgrades, field options)
Waters instrument systems
Market structure
Quasi-Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
n/a
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Strong
Moderate
Moat score
76 / 100
66 / 100
Moat domains
Supply, Demand
Demand, Supply
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-09

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Supply Chain ControlBrand TrustService Field NetworkInstalled Base Consumables

ASML Holding N.V. strengths

Capex Knowhow ScaleSwitching Costs General

Waters Corporation strengths

Data Workflow LockinDesign In QualificationLong Term Contracts

Segment mix

ASML Holding N.V. segments

Full profile >

EUV lithography systems (incl. High-NA)

Monopoly

n/a

DUV lithography systems

Oligopoly

n/a

Installed Base Management (service, upgrades, field options)

Quasi-Monopoly

23%

Waters Corporation segments

Full profile >

Waters instrument systems

Oligopoly

34.9%

Chemistry consumables

Competitive

19.1%

Waters service & software maintenance

Competitive

34%

TA instrument systems & service

Oligopoly

12%

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.