Guinness Atkinson Asset Management Inc Sells 2,587 Shares of Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT

Guinness Atkinson Asset Management Inc lessened its position in shares of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) by 7.8% during the third quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 30,727 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock after selling 2,587 shares during the period. Applied Materials makes up about 3.0% of Guinness Atkinson Asset Management Inc’s holdings, making the stock its 14th biggest position. Guinness Atkinson Asset Management Inc’s holdings in Applied Materials were worth $6,297,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Marquette Asset Management LLC raised its holdings in shares of Applied Materials by 150.0% in the 3rd quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 125 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Financial Gravity Companies Inc. bought a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the second quarter worth approximately $31,000. Manning & Napier Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the third quarter worth approximately $31,000. Howard Hughes Medical Institute purchased a new stake in Applied Materials in the second quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, Total Investment Management Inc. bought a new stake in Applied Materials during the second quarter valued at approximately $33,000. 80.56% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Applied Materials

Here are the key news stories impacting Applied Materials this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Citi raised its price target on AMAT to $400 (from $250) and reiterated a Buy ahead of the January-quarter earnings — a large bullish analyst move that likely lifted investor sentiment. Citi Jumps Applied Materials (AMAT) Target Ahead of Earnings
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks says AMAT is expected to beat earnings estimates and highlights the company’s favorable setup (earnings history + current indicators) — reinforcing the buy-side expectation for upside at the report. Applied Materials (AMAT) Expected to Beat Earnings Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks and other pieces emphasize AMAT’s momentum and growth characteristics (style-score based), supporting a continuation of the rally into earnings. Here’s Why Applied Materials (AMAT) is a Strong Momentum Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks also highlights AMAT’s history of earnings surprises and argues the company has the right setup to beat again — another supporting signal ahead of the print. Will Applied Materials (AMAT) Beat Estimates Again?
• Positive Sentiment: MSN reports a material lift in price targets (listed as +17.14% to 329.63), adding to positive analyst-driven momentum. Applied Materials (AMAT) price target increased by 17.14% to 329.63
• Neutral Sentiment: Yahoo/other previews ask whether AMAT will beat and whether it’s too late to buy after a strong one‑year run — useful market commentary but not new fundamental data. Will Applied Materials Inc (AMAT) beat quarterly earnings?
• Neutral Sentiment: General analyst/market notes on AMAT’s growth and valuation (Zacks pieces and bull-case explainers) provide context but are not immediate catalysts. Is It Worth Investing in Applied Materials (AMAT) Based on Wall Street’s Bullish Views?
• Neutral Sentiment: Headline reminders that AMAT will report earnings Thursday — a calendar item that markets are focusing on ahead of guidance. Applied Materials (AMAT) to Release Earnings on Thursday
• Negative Sentiment: TipRanks notes a roughly 9% intraday drop in AMAT shares on Feb. 4 despite the company “securing” something (market volatility around news/positioning) — a reminder that short-term moves can be abrupt and sentiment can swing. Applied Materials Stock (AMAT) Plunges despite Hopes for a ‘More Constructive Direction’

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Teri A. Little sold 4,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $238.24, for a total transaction of $952,960.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president owned 84,351 shares in the company, valued at $20,095,782.24. The trade was a 4.53% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CAO Adam Sanders sold 609 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $255.53, for a total value of $155,617.77. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer directly owned 4,413 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,127,653.89. The trade was a 12.13% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 8,609 shares of company stock valued at $2,044,898. Insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have recently commented on AMAT shares. Royal Bank Of Canada initiated coverage on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $385.00 price target on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating and set a $350.00 price target on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on Applied Materials from $260.00 to $360.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. Citigroup increased their price objective on Applied Materials from $250.00 to $400.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, KeyCorp boosted their target price on Applied Materials from $285.00 to $380.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Twenty-four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Applied Materials currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $311.04.

Applied Materials Price Performance

Shares of Applied Materials stock opened at $303.99 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 2.61 and a quick ratio of 1.87. Applied Materials, Inc. has a one year low of $123.74 and a one year high of $344.60. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $286.66 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $230.31. The stock has a market capitalization of $241.28 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.02, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.64 and a beta of 1.70.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 13th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $2.17 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.11 by $0.06. Applied Materials had a return on equity of 39.26% and a net margin of 24.67%.The firm had revenue of $6.80 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.68 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $2.32 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 3.5% compared to the same quarter last year. Applied Materials has set its Q1 2026 guidance at 1.980-2.380 EPS. Analysts forecast that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 9.38 EPS for the current year.

Applied Materials Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, March 12th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, February 19th will be given a $0.46 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 19th. This represents a $1.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Applied Materials’s payout ratio is presently 21.20%.

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.