Four Tree Island Advisory LLC lessened its stake in shares of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT – Free Report) by 6.0% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 54,300 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock after selling 3,458 shares during the period. Applied Materials accounts for about 12.9% of Four Tree Island Advisory LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 2nd biggest holding. Four Tree Island Advisory LLC’s holdings in Applied Materials were worth $39,259,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of AMAT. Harborfront Financial Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Applied Materials during the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Financial Freedom LLC acquired a new stake in Applied Materials during the first quarter worth $28,000. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC increased its stake in Applied Materials by 34.8% in the second quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 93 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $67,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares during the period. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC bought a new stake in Applied Materials in the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Finally, Whipplewood Advisors LLC boosted its position in Applied Materials by 218.8% in the first quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 102 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $35,000 after buying an additional 70 shares in the last quarter. 80.56% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
More Applied Materials News
Here are the key news stories impacting Applied Materials this week:
- Positive Sentiment: AI demand supports the long-term outlook. JPMorgan reiterated an Overweight rating and estimates semiconductor-systems revenue could grow about 40% this year, with AI-related investment accounting for roughly 80% of chip-equipment demand. Applied Materials Sees Years Of AI-Fueled Growth Ahead
- Positive Sentiment: Advanced packaging and memory opportunities remain catalysts. New equipment launches are strengthening Applied Materials’ position in advanced packaging as demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and semiconductor manufacturing capacity expands. Can Applied Materials Sustain Its Growth Amid AI-Driven Demand?
- Positive Sentiment: Brokerage coverage remains favorable. Berenberg issued a Buy rating, while broader analyst recommendations continue to point toward adding AMAT to portfolios. However, investors should note that consensus ratings can be overly optimistic because they are based on sell-side opinions. Applied Materials Receives a Buy from Berenberg Bank
- Neutral Sentiment: Fundamentals were stronger than expected, but the market response was weak. Applied Materials reported record fiscal third-quarter revenue of $9.12 billion, up 25% year over year, and exceeded consensus EPS and revenue estimates. Its above-consensus outlook was apparently insufficient to overcome high expectations and valuation concerns. Applied Materials Delivered a Record Quarter. The Stock Fell Anyway
- Negative Sentiment: High-profile bearish positioning is weighing on sentiment. Paul Tudor Jones reportedly liquidated his AMAT common-stock position and increased his put exposure, while Dr. Michael Burry is also betting against the shares. These trades raise concerns about semiconductor-cycle risks and whether future foundry capital spending will meet already elevated expectations. Paul Tudor Jones Liquidated His Applied Materials Stake
Applied Materials Trading Down 0.8%
Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 13th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $3.50 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.40 by $0.10. Applied Materials had a return on equity of 38.02% and a net margin of 30.05%.The firm had revenue of $9.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $8.99 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.48 EPS. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 24.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Applied Materials has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 3.820-4.220 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Applied Materials Announces Dividend
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 20th will be issued a dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 20th. Applied Materials’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 18.28%.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of analysts recently commented on AMAT shares. Royal Bank Of Canada lifted their price objective on Applied Materials from $520.00 to $600.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, August 14th. KeyCorp lifted their target price on Applied Materials from $550.00 to $750.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, June 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a “buy” rating and issued a $645.00 price target on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Monday, August 3rd. Wolfe Research increased their price target on shares of Applied Materials from $500.00 to $550.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Finally, Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Monday, August 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have issued a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $659.83.
View Our Latest Report on AMAT
Insider Buying and Selling at Applied Materials
In other news, Director Thomas J. Iannotti sold 9,250 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 directly owned 40,559 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $24,326,071.43. The trade was a 18.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Prabu G. Raja sold 10,000 shares of Applied Materials stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $633.53, for a total transaction of $6,335,300.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 346,642 shares in the company, valued at $219,608,106.26. This represents a 2.80% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last quarter, insiders sold 277,820 shares of company stock worth $169,538,434. Insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.
Applied Materials 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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