Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT Stock Purchased by Farther Finance Advisors LLC

Farther Finance Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) by 31.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 42,885 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 10,315 shares during the period. Farther Finance Advisors LLC’s holdings in Applied Materials were worth $21,931,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Applied Materials in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Harborfront Financial Group LLC acquired a new position in Applied Materials in the 2nd quarter valued at about $27,000. Financial Freedom LLC purchased a new stake in Applied Materials during the first quarter worth about $28,000. Orion Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Applied Materials during the second quarter worth about $33,000. Finally, Highland Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Applied Materials during the second quarter worth about $33,000. 80.56% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Applied Materials

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

• Positive Sentiment: New UCLA partnership supports future growth. Applied Materials and UCLA Engineering are joining the company’s EPIC Center to accelerate the commercialization of semiconductor research, potentially shortening the path from laboratory breakthroughs to high-volume manufacturing. Applied Materials and UCLA Engineering Accelerate Semiconductor Innovation at the EPIC Center
• Positive Sentiment: Strong AI-related chipmaking demand remains a key catalyst. A former Applied Materials executive said TSMC could still be underbuilding despite plans for as much as $64 billion in capital spending, implying continued demand for wafer-fabrication equipment. TSMC Plans Up to $64 Billion in Capex
• Positive Sentiment: AGS recurring revenue and services are gaining momentum. Analyst commentary points to AI-enabled services, recurring revenue and expanding fab demand as potential drivers for Applied Materials’ AGS business through 2030. Can Applied Materials Sustain Momentum in Its AGS Business?
• Positive Sentiment: Recent comparisons with Qualcomm, Marvell, Lam Research and KLA highlight Applied Materials’ improving revenue trajectory, dependable earnings and exposure to increasing chip complexity and AI infrastructure spending. Applied Materials vs. Qualcomm
• Neutral Sentiment: Jim Cramer argued that Applied Materials offers more than a simple earnings-multiple story, while other commentary noted the stock’s exceptional prior-year performance. Those views support the growth case but also raise expectations after the major run-up. Jim Cramer Sees More to Applied Materials
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling is weighing on sentiment. A report attributed the recent weakness to insider share sales, giving investors a reason to lock in profits after AMAT’s strong advance and reinforcing concerns about elevated expectations and valuation. Applied Materials Stock Falls After Insider Selling

Applied Materials Stock Down 2.1%

NASDAQ:AMAT traded down $11.08 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $509.57. The stock had a trading volume of 6,737,583 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,891,009. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $488.74 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $480.57. The company has a market capitalization of $404.39 billion, a PE ratio of 43.93, a PEG ratio of 1.48 and a beta of 1.60. Applied Materials, Inc. has a twelve month low of $203.40 and a twelve month high of $739.67. The company has a current ratio of 2.42, a quick ratio of 1.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 13th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $3.50 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.40 by $0.10. Applied Materials had a net margin of 30.05% and a return on equity of 38.02%. The company 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 earned $2.48 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 24.8% on a year-over-year basis. Applied Materials has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 3.820-4.220 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.79 EPS for the current year.

Applied Materials Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Investors of record on Thursday, November 19th will be issued a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. Applied Materials’s dividend payout ratio is 18.28%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

AMAT has been the subject of a number of research reports. Berenberg Bank lifted their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $575.00 to $675.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, August 17th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their target price on shares of Applied Materials from $510.00 to $770.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, June 26th. B. Riley Financial reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $700.00 price target (down from $790.00) on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Friday, August 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price objective on Applied Materials from $645.00 to $670.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, August 14th. Finally, Argus set a $600.00 price objective on Applied Materials and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 18th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirty have given a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $640.20.

Insider Activity at Applied Materials

In other news, Director Judy Bruner sold 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, September 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $465.00, for a total transaction of $465,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 25,544 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $11,877,960. This represents a 3.77% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CAO Adam Sanders sold 725 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $544.56, for a total value of $394,806.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 3,181 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,732,245.36. The trade was a 18.56% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders have sold 9,225 shares of company stock valued at $4,454,181 over the last quarter. 0.30% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Applied Materials Company Profile

Applied Materials, Inc is a global supplier of equipment, services and software used to manufacture semiconductor chips, flat-panel displays and other advanced electronic products. Its technologies help customers build and enhance materials at the nanoscale, supporting processes such as deposition, etching, inspection, metrology and packaging.

The company’s offerings include semiconductor manufacturing systems, process-control and inspection equipment, and services designed to improve the performance, productivity and longevity of production equipment.