Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT Shares Sold by Journey Advisory Group LLC

Journey Advisory Group LLC cut its holdings in shares of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) by 19.8% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 10,615 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock after selling 2,625 shares during the period. Journey Advisory Group LLC’s holdings in Applied Materials were worth $3,628,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake in Applied Materials by 28.0% during the 4th quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 12,674 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $2,061,000 after purchasing an additional 2,771 shares in the last quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its position in shares of Applied Materials by 26.7% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,225 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $590,000 after purchasing an additional 679 shares in the last quarter. Forefront Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Applied Materials during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $410,000. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. boosted its stake in shares of Applied Materials by 30.1% during the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 15,003 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $2,747,000 after buying an additional 3,469 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Sei Investments Co. grew its position in shares of Applied Materials by 59.3% during the second quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 422,694 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock worth $77,383,000 after buying an additional 157,426 shares in the last quarter. 80.56% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Applied Materials Stock Down 2.7%

Shares of NASDAQ:AMAT opened at $579.43 on Thursday. The company’s fifty day moving average is $528.23 and its two-hundred day moving average is $410.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a quick ratio of 1.80 and a current ratio of 2.51. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 1-year low of $154.46 and a 1-year high of $739.67. The stock has a market capitalization of $460.04 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 54.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.57.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 14th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $2.86 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.68 by $0.18. Applied Materials had a net margin of 29.31% and a return on equity of 36.97%. The business had revenue of $7.91 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.68 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.39 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Applied Materials has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.160-3.560 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.13 EPS for the current year.

Applied Materials Announces Dividend

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, August 20th will be issued a $0.53 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 20th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Applied Materials’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 19.91%.

Key Stories Impacting Applied Materials

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

• Positive Sentiment: Management commentary suggested AI-driven semiconductor equipment spending could stay elevated for years, strengthening confidence in Applied Materials’ multiyear demand outlook. Applied Materials CEO Just Reinforced the AI Investment Thesis. How to Play AMAT Stock Here.
• Positive Sentiment: Mizuho raised its price target on AMAT, citing strong demand commentary and expecting EPS growth of more than 36% over the next year. Mizuho Raises PT on Applied Materials (AMAT)
• Positive Sentiment: Applied Materials was highlighted as a key AI infrastructure and “picks-and-shovels” play, with articles arguing the stock could continue trending higher alongside AI hardware spending. Applied Materials: The Picks-and-Shovels Play in an AI Era Will Continue to Trend Higher
• Positive Sentiment: Reports also pointed to a 10-year AI packaging partnership with TSMC and a Buy rating from Bernstein, both of which support the bull case for long-term demand. Applied Materials (AMAT) Lands 10 Year TSMC AI Packaging Partnership Applied Materials (AMAT) Gets a Buy from Bernstein
• Neutral Sentiment: Some commentary notes the stock has already run sharply over the past six months, so investors may be weighing whether much of the AI optimism is already priced in. 2 Reasons to Watch AMAT and 1 to Stay Cautious
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader semiconductor strength and lower inflation also helped sentiment across AI hardware names, including AMAT, KLA, and Teradyne. Applied Materials, KLA Corporation, and Teradyne Shares Skyrocket, What You Need To Know

Analyst Ratings Changes

AMAT has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Erste Group Bank upgraded shares of Applied Materials from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. The Goldman Sachs Group raised their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $390.00 to $520.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. HSBC began coverage on shares of Applied Materials in a research note on Friday, May 8th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $517.00 target price on the stock. Needham & Company LLC lifted their price target on Applied Materials from $530.00 to $740.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Finally, B. Riley Financial boosted their price objective on Applied Materials from $550.00 to $790.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, June 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have given a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Applied Materials presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $593.84.

Insider Buying and Selling at Applied Materials

In related news, SVP Timothy M. Deane sold 8,621 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $590.76, for a total transaction of $5,092,941.96. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 134,631 shares in the company, valued at $79,534,609.56. The trade was a 6.02% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Gary E. Dickerson sold 71,727 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $593.75, for a total value of $42,587,906.25. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 1,695,164 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,006,503,625. The trade was a 4.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 278,088 shares of company stock worth $169,654,805. 0.30% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

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.