Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT)

Applied Materials' stock (AMAT) has experienced substantial growth over the past six months, with an increase of 41.41%, and 75.46% over the past 12 months. The stock reached new highs, including a 52-week and all-time high of $277.89 in early January 2026, and traded as high as $308.43 on January 12, 2026. Several analyst firms have upgraded their ratings and increased price targets for AMAT. The company reported strong quarterly earnings on November 13, 2025, with $2.17 EPS, beating estimates, and revenue of $6.80 billion, exceeding expectations, also delivering record annual revenue and EPS in fiscal 2025. Applied Materials announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.46 per share, marking the eighth consecutive year of dividend increases. Geopolitical risks, particularly those impacting the chip industry in China, pose a significant threat.

Applied Materials' revenue stream is highly exposed to the cyclical demand for semiconductors. Demand for its products and services is influenced by broader trends in end markets such as smartphones, data centers, AI, IoT, and 5G. The company is strategically positioned to benefit from the accelerating demand for advanced chips driven by AI and high-performance computing.

Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) is a leading American corporation providing manufacturing equipment, services, and software to the semiconductor, display, and related industries. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, it is the second-largest supplier of semiconductor equipment globally based on revenue. The company operates within the Semiconductors sector and the Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment industry. Its major products and services are categorized into Semiconductor Systems, Applied Global Services, and Display and Adjacent Markets. Semiconductor Systems develops and manufactures equipment for wafer fabrication, including technologies like ALD, CVD, PVD, RTP, CMP, etch, ion implantation, and wafer inspection. Applied Global Services offers integrated solutions to optimize equipment and factory performance, providing spare parts, upgrades, services, remanufactured equipment, and factory automation software. Display and Adjacent Markets focuses on manufacturing technologies for various display types, including LCDs and OLEDs.

Applied Materials, Inc. has a significant global presence, operating in the United States, China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Europe, and Southeast Asia. In fiscal year 2024, China was the largest contributor to the company's revenue, accounting for $10.12 billion, or 37.23% of its total revenue. Other significant revenue contributions came from Korea ($4.49 billion, 16.53%), Taiwan ($4.01 billion), and the United States ($3.82 billion). Japan generated $2.15 billion, Europe $1.44 billion, and Southeast Asia $1.14 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2024.

Applied Materials maintains a strong brand reputation, driven by its technological leadership and critical role in the semiconductor and advanced display manufacturing industries. The company is recognized for its comprehensive materials engineering solutions and its ability to enable advancements in energy-efficient computing and AI. Its strategy focuses on being a "one-stop-shop" for materials engineering solutions, offering a broad portfolio from unit process equipment to integrated solutions. The company faces geopolitical risks due to its significant revenue exposure to China, which could indirectly affect its standing.

Applied Materials, Inc. is primarily owned by institutional investors, who collectively hold approximately 75% to 79.15% of the company's shares. Retail investors and insiders own about 25% of the company. Major institutional owners include Vanguard Group Inc., BlackRock, Inc., State Street Corp., and others. Insider ownership is approximately 2.98%, and there has been significant insider selling over the past three months.