CORDA Investment Management LLC. lessened its stake in Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT – Free Report) by 1.3% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 107,018 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock after selling 1,403 shares during the quarter. Applied Materials comprises 4.7% of CORDA Investment Management LLC.’s portfolio, making the stock its 2nd largest holding. CORDA Investment Management LLC.’s holdings in Applied Materials were worth $77,374,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.
Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Evolve Private Wealth LLC grew its position in shares of Applied Materials by 59.0% in the 1st quarter. Evolve Private Wealth LLC now owns 2,875 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $983,000 after buying an additional 1,067 shares during the last quarter. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Applied Materials during the 4th quarter worth $1,082,000. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC lifted its position in Applied Materials by 183.7% in the fourth quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,073 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $790,000 after acquiring an additional 1,990 shares during the last quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB boosted its stake in Applied Materials by 29.6% in the second quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 462,685 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $334,521,000 after acquiring an additional 105,776 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CloudAlpha Capital Management Limited Hong Kong boosted its stake in Applied Materials by 204.8% in the fourth quarter. CloudAlpha Capital Management Limited Hong Kong now owns 140,773 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $36,177,000 after acquiring an additional 94,587 shares in the last quarter. 80.56% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Applied Materials Stock Down 3.5%
AMAT opened at $496.17 on Thursday. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 52 week low of $154.46 and a 52 week high of $739.67. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $565.29 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $449.54. The company has a quick ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 2.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. The company has a market cap of $393.94 billion, a PE ratio of 42.77, a P/E/G ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 1.61.
Applied Materials Announces Dividend
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 20th will be given a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 20th. Applied Materials’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 18.28%.
Applied Materials News Roundup
Here are the key news stories impacting Applied Materials this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Applied Materials was included in Zacks’ Rank #1 (Strong Buy) momentum list, reflecting continued favorable technical and fundamental sentiment after its substantial 2026 rally. Best Momentum Stock to Buy for August 19th
- Positive Sentiment: An analyst upgrade recently supported AMAT, while longer-term bullish arguments point to AI-driven semiconductor demand, a broad equipment portfolio and strong international revenue opportunities. Applied Materials Trading Higher Following Analyst Upgrade
- Neutral Sentiment: Applied Materials had surged about 98% in 2026 and 31% over three months, making it a major beneficiary of the AI-capital-spending trade but also leaving the stock vulnerable to profit-taking and shifts in expectations. Applied Materials Rockets 98% in 2026
- Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain constructive on AI-related growth and semiconductor demand, but AMAT’s premium valuation requires continued execution and strong forecasts to justify further gains. Should You Buy, Sell or Hold AMAT Stock
- Negative Sentiment: The immediate pressure is concentrated across chip-equipment names, including Applied Materials, Lam Research and Teradyne. Because the broader market is rising while the group sells off, investors appear concerned about the durability or timing of AI-related capital expenditures rather than interest rates alone. What Is Prompting the Selloff in Chip Equipment Stocks?
- Negative Sentiment: Investors are also questioning whether AMAT is “priced for perfection,” with its elevated earnings multiple increasing the risk of a sharper reaction to any slowdown in AI spending or semiconductor demand. Applied Materials Is Priced For Perfection
Insider Buying and Selling
In other Applied Materials news, Director Thomas J. Iannotti sold 9,250 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $599.77, for a total transaction of $5,547,872.50. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 40,559 shares in the company, valued at approximately $24,326,071.43. This represents a 18.57% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Prabu G. Raja sold 50,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $505.28, for a total transaction of $25,264,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 356,642 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $180,204,069.76. This trade represents a 12.30% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 278,088 shares of company stock worth $169,654,805 in the last ninety days. Insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth
A number of analysts have recently commented on AMAT shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Applied Materials from $515.00 to $660.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, August 14th. Sanford C. Bernstein upped their target price on Applied Materials from $675.00 to $700.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, August 14th. Wolfe Research raised their price target on Applied Materials from $500.00 to $550.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Barclays boosted their price objective on Applied Materials from $500.00 to $590.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, June 11th. Finally, Seaport Research Partners reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $575.00 price objective on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Friday, August 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have issued a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $659.83.
Read Our Latest Report on Applied Materials
Applied Materials Company Profile
Applied Materials, Inc is a U.S.-based supplier of equipment, services and software used to manufacture semiconductor chips, flat panel displays and other advanced materials. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, the company designs and sells capital equipment and related technologies that enable production of integrated circuits, display panels and materials used across the electronics supply chain.
Applied Materials’ offerings include process equipment and factory software that support critical steps in device fabrication, such as deposition, etch, implantation, inspection and metrology, as well as systems for packaging and advanced heterogeneous integration.
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