Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT – Get Free Report) has been given an average rating of “Moderate Buy” by the thirty-nine analysts that are covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirty have issued a buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $632.70.
A number of research firms recently commented on AMAT. Mizuho dropped their target price on shares of Applied Materials from $650.00 to $590.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, August 25th. Morgan Stanley decreased their price target on shares of Applied Materials from $642.00 to $563.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Monday, September 28th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Tuesday, October 20th. Berenberg Bank upped their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $575.00 to $675.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Finally, UBS Group increased their target price on shares of Applied Materials from $675.00 to $695.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 1st.
View Our Latest Stock Report on AMAT
Applied Materials Stock Up 1.4%
Applied Materials stock opened at $421.66 on Tuesday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $459.78 and a 200-day simple moving average of $443.21. The firm has a market capitalization of $334.63 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.13, a P/E/G ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 1.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 1.79 and a current ratio of 2.42. Applied Materials has a one year low of $203.40 and a one year high of $739.67.
Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 13th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $3.50 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.40 by $0.10. Applied Materials had a net margin of 30.05% and a return on equity of 38.02%. The firm had revenue of $9.12 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.99 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.48 EPS. Applied Materials’s quarterly revenue 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, equities analysts expect that Applied Materials will post 12.79 earnings per share for the current year.
Applied Materials Dividend Announcement
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. Applied Materials’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 18.28%.
Key Applied Materials News
Here are the key news stories impacting Applied Materials this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Memory shortage outlook supports equipment demand. SK Hynix’s expectation that the memory shortage could persist into 2030 suggests chipmakers may continue expanding and upgrading fabrication capacity. That outlook lifted Applied Materials and peers because the company supplies equipment used to build advanced memory and logic fabs. The rally may be tempered by industry supply bottlenecks and Applied Materials’ China exposure. Chip Equipment Stocks Rally as SK Hynix Signals Memory Shortage Into 2030
- Positive Sentiment: AI investment is broadening across the semiconductor ecosystem. Capital spending on AI infrastructure is increasing demand for chips, factories, manufacturing tools and process-control technologies. Applied Materials is viewed as a direct beneficiary of that spending, while industry research also points to opportunities in epitaxial wafers, automation and AI-based yield improvement. Top 3 AI Chip Stocks With P E Under 43
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment and earnings expectations remain supportive. Recent coverage describes Wall Street analysts as optimistic, while analysts expect a robust double-digit earnings increase in the coming quarterly report as AI-driven chip demand continues. Applied Materials’ latest reported quarter also exceeded consensus revenue and earnings estimates, reinforcing the bullish narrative. Is Applied Materials a Buy as Wall Street Analysts Look Optimistic?
- Neutral Sentiment: Investor interest remains high, but the stock is volatile. Applied Materials was highlighted as a potential long-term market-beater, an undervalued AI leader and one of several stocks added to ETFs. Separate coverage noted that the company joined other issuers opposing tokenized versions of their shares under an SEC innovation framework. These developments increase visibility but do not immediately change operating results. Applied Materials: Top Quality And Undervalued AI Leader
Insider Buying and Selling at Applied Materials
In other Applied Materials news, CAO Adam Sanders sold 725 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $544.56, for a total value of $394,806.00. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 3,181 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,732,245.36. This represents a 18.56% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, Director Judy Bruner sold 1,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $465.00, for a total value of $465,000.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 25,544 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $11,877,960. This trade represents a 3.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold 9,225 shares of company stock worth $4,454,181 over the last 90 days. 0.30% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.
Institutional Inflows and Outflows
A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of AMAT. Harborfront Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Applied Materials during the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. Orion Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Applied Materials during the 2nd quarter valued at about $33,000. Highland Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. BOK Financial Private Wealth Inc. bought a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Finally, Curry Webb Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Applied Materials in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Institutional investors own 80.56% of the company’s stock.
About Applied Materials
Applied Materials, Inc is a technology company that supplies equipment, services and software used to manufacture semiconductors and advanced displays. Its products help customers fabricate the integrated circuits and other components used in computers, mobile devices, data centers, automobiles and a range of connected technologies.
The company’s offerings include systems for materials engineering, wafer fabrication, inspection and process control, along with equipment and services designed to improve manufacturing productivity and yield.
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