WallStSmart

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

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Applied Materials Inc generates 146% more annual revenue ($29.02B vs $11.78B). WDC leads profitability with a 55.3% profit margin vs 29.3%. WDC appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 0.58. WDC earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 80/100 (A-).

AMAT

Strong Buy

72

out of 100

Grade: B

Growth: 6.7Profit: 9.5Value: 3.7Quality: 8.5
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: 4.98

WDC

Exceptional Buy

80

out of 100

Grade: A-

Growth: 7.3Profit: 9.5Value: 5.7Quality: 6.5
Piotroski: 5/9Altman Z: 1.51

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

AMAT6 strengths · Avg: 9.7/10
Market CapQuality
$465.09B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Return on EquityProfitability
35.6%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 36 in profit

Operating MarginProfitability
31.9%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 31.9%

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
4.9810/10

Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk

Profit MarginProfitability
29.3%9/10

Keeps 29 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Debt/EquityHealth
0.279/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

WDC6 strengths · Avg: 10.0/10
Market CapQuality
$225.26B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Return on EquityProfitability
67.0%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 67 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
482.9%10/10

Earnings expanding 482.9% YoY

Areas to Watch

AMAT3 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
PEG RatioValuation
1.894/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Price/BookValuation
15.0x4/10

Trading at 15.0x book value

P/E RatioValuation
55.3x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

WDC3 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
P/E RatioValuation
39.1x4/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
1.514/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

Price/BookValuation
27.5x2/10

Trading at 27.5x book value

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : AMAT

The strongest argument for AMAT centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, Operating Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 29.3% and operating margin at 31.9%. Revenue growth of 11.4% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bull Case : WDC

The strongest argument for WDC centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, Profit 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 55.3x leaves little room for execution misses.

Bear Case : WDC

The primary concerns for WDC are P/E Ratio, Altman Z-Score, Price/Book.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

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

WDC carries more volatility with a beta of 2.20 — expect wider price swings.

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

WDC generates stronger free cash flow (978M), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

WDC scores higher overall (80/100 vs 72/100), backed by strong 55.3% margins and 45.5% revenue growth. Both earn "Exceptional Buy" and "Strong 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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