Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT)

In the past six months, Applied Materials' stock price has experienced notable movements. As of September 30, 2025, the share price was $204.74, representing an increase of 3.82% from October 1, 2024. The stock has shown a 37.63% rise over the last month and a 10.02% increase over the last year. On August 15, 2025, shares tumbled 12% due to weak sales and profit forecasts attributed to U.S.-China trade tensions. On October 2, 2025, shares dropped 3% in after-hours trading following an announcement regarding new U.S. export restrictions affecting business with Chinese clients. The stock reached a 52-week high of $226.41 on October 2, 2025.

Historically, Applied Materials' implied volatility tends to rise the most in April and decline to its lowest levels in December. The company has over 40 years of experience navigating market cycles, suggesting an understanding and adaptation to fluctuating demand in the semiconductor industry. The semiconductor industry itself can experience cyclical demand. Some analysis suggests that September can be a weaker month for AMAT. As of early October 2025, seasonality was noted to be turning more bullish, with the race for AI leadership fueling demand.

Applied Materials, Inc. is the world's largest semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment manufacturer, operating in the Technology sector. It provides equipment, services, and software for manufacturing semiconductor chips, flat panel displays, and solar products. The company's product portfolio includes advanced manufacturing equipment for various wafer fabrication steps. It is organized into three major business segments: Semiconductor Products, Applied Global Services, and Display and Adjacent Markets.

Applied Materials has a significant global presence, operating in 18 countries with 86 locations. Its principal geographic areas include the United States, China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Europe, and Southeast Asia. The company's headquarters are located in Santa Clara, California, U.S. Net revenue from China more than doubled between 2019 and 2024, reaching over $10 billion. Taiwan also showed a general increasing trend in net revenue from fiscal year 2019 through 2022, peaking at $6.262 billion.

In the past year, Applied Materials' reputation has been impacted by geopolitical events. In November 2023, the company was reported to be under criminal investigation by the United States Department of Justice for allegedly routing equipment to Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) via South Korea, in violation of U.S. sanctions. The ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions and new export restrictions have also weighed on the company's demand and visibility, leading to weak sales and profit forecasts and impacting its stock performance.

Institutional investors hold a significant portion of Applied Materials' shares, with ownership reported to be around 67.44% to 83% of the company's stock. The top institutional investors collectively own a substantial percentage, with the top 10 holding 33% and the top 3 holding about 24%. Major institutional owners include Vanguard Group Inc., BlackRock, Inc., and State Street Corp. Individual investors and insiders own a smaller percentage, with insiders holding approximately 0.38% and retail investors around 17% to 32.17%.