Applied Materials Inc's

The competitive environment for each segment is described below.
The semiconductor industry has been increasingly driven by consumer demand for lower-cost electronic products with increased capability, particularly mobility devices such as smartphones and tablets. As a result, products within the Silicon Systems Group segment are subject to significant changes in customer requirements, including transitions to smaller dimensions, new materials and an increasing number of applications. While certain existing technologies may be adapted to new requirements, some applications create the need for an entirely different technological approach. The rapid pace of technological change can quickly diminish the value of current technologies and products and create opportunities for existing and new competitors. Applied offers a variety of technologically-differentiated products that must continuously evolve to satisfy customers’ requirements in order to compete effectively in the marketplace. Applied allocates resources among its numerous product offerings and therefore may decide not to invest in an individual product to the same degree as competitors who specialize in fewer products. There are a number of competitors serving the semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry, with some offering a single product line and others offering multiple product lines. These competitors range from suppliers serving a single region to global, diversified companies.

Products and services within the Applied Global Services segment complement the Silicon Systems Group, Display, and Energy and Environmental Solutions segments’ products, in markets that are characterized by demanding worldwide service requirements and a diverse group of numerous competitors. To compete effectively, Applied offers products and services to improve tool performance, lower overall cost of ownership, and increase the productivity and energy efficiency of customers’ fab operations. Significant competitive factors include productivity, cost-effectiveness, and the level of technical service and support. The importance of these factors varies according to customers’ needs and the type of products or services offered. Industry conditions that affected Applied Global Services’ sales of spares and services were principally semiconductor manufacturers' wafer starts and factory utilization rates.

Products in the Display segment are generally subject to strong competition from a number of major competitors primarily in Asia. Applied holds established market positions with its technically-differentiated LCD and OLED manufacturing solutions for PECVD, color filter PVD, PVD array, PVD touch panel, and TFT array testing, although its market position could change quickly due to customers' evolving requirements. The competitive environment for the Display segment in fiscal 2014 was characterized by an increase in demand for TV manufacturing equipment, particularly in China, and continued demand for equipment to manufacture displays for high-end mobile devices. Demand for larger LCD TVs continues to drive investment in display equipment, although the TV manufacturing sector remains susceptible to cyclical conditions. Important factors affecting the competitive position of Applied's Display products include: industry trends, Applied's ability to innovate and develop new products, and the extent to which Applied's products are technically-differentiated, as well as which customers within a highly concentrated customer base are making capital equipment investments and Applied's existing position at these customers.

Applied's products within the Energy and Environmental Solutions segment compete in several diverse market areas, including the c-Si solar equipment market. The solar equipment market has been characterized by significant pressure to reduce customers' overall production costs and improve performance. In fiscal 2014, the solar end-market demand continued to be robust, as the industry further reduced manufacturing costs, enabling PV-generated electricity to reach parity with retail electricity rates in an increasing number of areas around the world. However, investment levels in capital equipment remained low, with spending focused on upgrades and improving conversion efficiencies as global solar PV production capacity exceeds end-demand, and the rationalization of capacity will be an important factor in determining when supply and demand comes back into balance. Adding to market uncertainty are international trade actions that have resulted in the imposition of some import sanctions, with others still under consideration. With respect to its c-Si equipment products, Applied competes with a number of other companies, some of which have significant experience with solar applications and some of which are new entrants to the solar equipment market. The solar industry downturn has affected many of Applied's competitors and customers adversely, with some companies going through extensive financial and organizational restructuring, and in some instances ceasing operations.