WallStSmart

Applied Materials Inc (AMAT)vsWestern Digital Corporation (WDC)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Applied Materials Inc generates 140% more annual revenue ($28.21B vs $11.78B). WDC leads profitability with a 55.3% profit margin vs 27.8%. WDC appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 0.87. WDC earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 79/100 (B+).

AMAT

Buy

64

out of 100

Grade: C+

Growth: 5.3Profit: 9.5Value: 4.3Quality: 8.0
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: 4.98

WDC

Strong Buy

79

out of 100

Grade: B+

Growth: 7.3Profit: 9.5Value: 6.3Quality: 5.0

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

AMAT6 strengths · Avg: 9.5/10
Market CapQuality
$313.07B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Return on EquityProfitability
38.9%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 39 in profit

EPS GrowthGrowth
75.2%10/10

Earnings expanding 75.2% YoY

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
4.9810/10

Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk

Profit MarginProfitability
27.8%9/10

Keeps 28 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
29.9%8/10

Strong operational efficiency at 29.9%

WDC6 strengths · Avg: 9.8/10
Return on EquityProfitability
85.9%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 86 in profit

Profit MarginProfitability
55.3%10/10

Keeps 55 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
37.0%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 37.0%

Revenue GrowthGrowth
45.5%10/10

Revenue surging 45.5% year-over-year

EPS GrowthGrowth
477.2%10/10

Earnings expanding 477.2% YoY

Market CapQuality
$152.47B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

Areas to Watch

AMAT4 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
PEG RatioValuation
1.824/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Price/BookValuation
14.3x4/10

Trading at 14.3x book value

P/E RatioValuation
40.4x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Revenue GrowthGrowth
-2.1%2/10

Revenue declined 2.1%

WDC2 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
P/E RatioValuation
25.8x4/10

Moderate valuation

Price/BookValuation
21.2x2/10

Trading at 21.2x book value

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : AMAT

The strongest argument for AMAT centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, EPS Growth. Profitability is solid with margins at 27.8% and operating margin at 29.9%.

Bull Case : WDC

The strongest argument for WDC centers on Return on Equity, Profit Margin, Operating Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 55.3% and operating margin at 37.0%. Revenue growth of 45.5% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : AMAT

The primary concerns for AMAT are PEG Ratio, Price/Book, P/E Ratio. A P/E of 40.4x leaves little room for execution misses.

Bear Case : WDC

The primary concerns for WDC are P/E Ratio, Price/Book.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

AMAT profiles as a declining stock while WDC is a growth play — different risk/reward profiles.

WDC carries more volatility with a beta of 2.16 — expect wider price swings.

WDC is growing revenue faster at 45.5% — sustainability is the question.

AMAT generates stronger free cash flow (1.0B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

WDC scores higher overall (79/100 vs 64/100), backed by strong 55.3% margins and 45.5% revenue growth. Both earn "Strong Buy" and "Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.

Applied Materials Inc

TECHNOLOGY · SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS · USA

Applied Materials, Inc. is an American corporation that supplies equipment, services and software for the manufacture of semiconductor (integrated circuit) chips for electronics, flat panel displays for computers, smartphones and televisions, and solar products. The company also supplies equipment to produce coatings for flexible electronics, packaging and other applications. The company is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, in Silicon Valley.

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Western Digital Corporation

TECHNOLOGY · COMPUTER HARDWARE · USA

Western Digital Corporation (WDC, commonly known as Western Digital or WD) is an American computer hard disk drive manufacturer and data storage company, headquartered in San Jose, California. It designs, manufactures and sells data technology products, including storage devices, data center systems and cloud storage services.

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