Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) Price Target Raised to $660.00 at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) had its price objective increased by equities researchers at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $515.00 to $660.00 in a report issued on Friday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has an “overweight” rating on the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s price target suggests a potential upside of 27.56% from the stock’s previous close.

Other research analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. TD Cowen raised their price objective on Applied Materials from $525.00 to $700.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. William Blair started coverage on shares of Applied Materials in a research note on Tuesday. They set a “market perform” rating on the stock. Barclays lifted their price target on shares of Applied Materials from $500.00 to $590.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, June 11th. Argus increased their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $420.00 to $500.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 19th. Finally, Citigroup restated a “buy” rating on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-six have given a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Applied Materials presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $604.68.

Applied Materials Stock Down 3.2%

AMAT opened at $517.39 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.51, a quick ratio of 1.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. Applied Materials has a 1-year low of $154.46 and a 1-year high of $739.67. The company has a market capitalization of $410.78 billion, a PE ratio of 48.12, a PEG ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 1.61. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $563.06 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $444.45.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 13th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $3.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.40 by $0.10. Applied Materials had a net margin of 29.31% and a return on equity of 36.97%. The firm had revenue of $9.12 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.99 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $2.48 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 24.8% compared to the same quarter last year. Applied Materials has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 3.820-4.220 EPS. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Applied Materials will post 12.22 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In related news, insider Prabu G. Raja sold 50,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $505.28, for a total transaction of $25,264,000.00. Following the sale, the insider owned 356,642 shares in the company, valued at approximately $180,204,069.76. This represents a 12.30% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Timothy M. Deane sold 8,621 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $590.76, for a total transaction of $5,092,941.96. Following 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 ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 278,088 shares of company stock worth $169,654,805. Company insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Applied Materials

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Evolve Private Wealth LLC raised its stake in shares of Applied Materials by 59.0% during the first quarter. Evolve Private Wealth LLC now owns 2,875 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $983,000 after acquiring an additional 1,067 shares in the last quarter. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Applied Materials during the 4th quarter valued at $1,082,000. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Applied Materials by 183.7% in the 4th quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,073 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock worth $790,000 after buying an additional 1,990 shares during the period. Handelsbanken Fonder AB grew its position in shares of Applied Materials by 29.6% during the 2nd quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 462,685 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock worth $334,521,000 after buying an additional 105,776 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CloudAlpha Capital Management Limited Hong Kong increased its stake in shares of Applied Materials by 204.8% during the fourth quarter. CloudAlpha Capital Management Limited Hong Kong now owns 140,773 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $36,177,000 after buying an additional 94,587 shares during the period. 80.56% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More Applied Materials News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Applied Materials reported record quarterly revenue of approximately $9.12 billion, up 24.8% year over year, while adjusted earnings of $3.50 per share exceeded the $3.40 consensus estimate. Gross margin reached a record 50.4%, supported by strong demand for equipment used in AI infrastructure and advanced chips. Applied Materials Announces Third Quarter 2026 Results
• Positive Sentiment: Management issued better-than-expected fourth-quarter guidance, projecting revenue of $9.8 billion to $10.8 billion versus a $9.5 billion consensus forecast, and EPS of $3.82 to $4.22 versus expectations of $3.65. Executives also indicated that AI-related demand provides unusually strong visibility into another potential record year in 2027. Applied Materials forecasts quarterly revenue above estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Needham reaffirmed its buy rating and set a $740 price target, implying significant upside from the reference price. Analysts continue to view Applied Materials as a key beneficiary of semiconductor manufacturers’ AI-related capital spending. Needham rating update
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are likely to monitor equipment orders, DRAM and advanced-packaging demand, China exposure, and whether AI-related capital expenditures remain durable over the next several quarters. These metrics may determine whether the pullback is temporary or signals a broader semiconductor-cycle concern. Key metrics after earnings
• Negative Sentiment: Despite the earnings and guidance beats, shares fell because results did not clear an exceptionally high bar following a sharp rally. Investors questioned whether Applied Materials is growing faster than competitors and remain alert to intensifying competition, potential margin pressure, and a possible peak in the semiconductor capital-spending cycle. Applied Materials slips as investors seek faster growth

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.