First Nebraska Trust Co Buys New Holdings in Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT

First Nebraska Trust Co purchased a new stake in shares of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 86,274 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock, valued at approximately $29,488,000. Applied Materials accounts for 2.7% of First Nebraska Trust Co’s portfolio, making the stock its 7th largest holding.

A number of other large investors also recently modified their holdings of AMAT. Financial Freedom LLC acquired a new stake in Applied Materials during the 1st quarter worth approximately $28,000. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Applied Materials in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Whipplewood Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Applied Materials by 218.8% in the 1st quarter. Whipplewood Advisors LLC now owns 102 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 70 shares during the period. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Finally, MBM Wealth Consultants LLC acquired a new position in shares of Applied Materials during the 1st quarter valued at $38,000. 80.56% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently issued reports on AMAT. Zacks Research upgraded Applied Materials from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 1st. KeyCorp upped their target price on Applied Materials from $550.00 to $750.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, June 29th. Needham & Company LLC increased their target price on Applied Materials from $530.00 to $740.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Applied Materials from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday. Finally, Bank of America boosted their price target on Applied Materials from $540.00 to $720.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have assigned a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $599.19.

Trending Headlines about Applied Materials

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

• Positive Sentiment: Semiconductor stocks rallied this week on strong technology earnings, while three semiconductor ETFs ranked among the largest recipients of new investor cash. The sector-wide buying provides a favorable backdrop for Applied Materials. Semiconductor ETFs Draw Cash This Week as Chip Stocks Rally
• Positive Sentiment: A bullish analysis maintains a “Strong Buy” view after AMAT’s substantial multiyear advance, citing the company’s exposure to AI-driven semiconductor equipment demand and continued operating momentum. Applied Materials: Why I’m Maintaining A Strong Buy After A 45% Run
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlighted Applied Materials’ AI-driven momentum, record results, expanding margins and improving customer visibility. These factors reinforce expectations for durable growth. AMAT recently exceeded quarterly earnings and revenue estimates, with revenue increasing year over year and upbeat quarterly earnings guidance. The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Applied Materials
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage of Lam Research’s surge indicates that AI equipment demand was already visible in industry results. This supports the semiconductor-equipment cycle generally, although it does not provide a company-specific update for AMAT. Lam Research Stock’s Surge Was Building In Plain Sight
• Negative Sentiment: Despite long-term support from initiatives such as the AI Materials Foundry, one valuation analysis argues that AMAT may not be a bargain after a 218.9% five-year gain. The elevated valuation and high expectations could limit additional upside or increase sensitivity to any slowdown in AI-related spending. Applied Materials Stock May Not Be A Bargain Despite AI Materials Foundry News

Applied Materials Price Performance

AMAT stock opened at $507.67 on Friday. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $550.86 and its two-hundred day moving average is $429.98. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 52-week low of $154.46 and a 52-week high of $739.67. The company has a market capitalization of $403.07 billion, a PE ratio of 47.67, a P/E/G ratio of 1.29 and a beta of 1.57. The company has a quick ratio of 1.80, a current ratio of 2.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 14th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $2.86 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.68 by $0.18. The business had revenue of $7.91 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.68 billion. Applied Materials had a net margin of 29.31% and a return on equity of 36.97%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.39 earnings per share. Applied Materials has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.160-3.560 EPS. Analysts predict that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Applied Materials Announces Dividend

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

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Gary E. Dickerson sold 71,727 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $593.75, for a total transaction of $42,587,906.25. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 1,695,164 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,006,503,625. This represents a 4.06% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Omkaram Nalamasu sold 24,263 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $593.43, for a total transaction of $14,398,392.09. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 146,916 shares in the company, valued at approximately $87,184,361.88. This trade represents a 14.17% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last three months, insiders sold 278,088 shares of company stock worth $169,654,805. Corporate insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

Applied Materials Company 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.