Better Chip Stock: ASML vs. Applied Materials

Which of these semiconductor bellwethers is a better buy?ASML (ASML 0.53%) and Applied Materials (AMAT 0.04%) are two of the world's largest semiconductor equipment makers. ASML is the world's leading producer of lithography systems, which are used to optically etch circuit patterns onto silicon wafers. It's the only supplier of high-end extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems which are used to manufacture the world's smallest, densest, and most power-efficient chips.Applied Materials provides a wider ...