Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT Stock: Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd Boosts Stake

Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd grew its stake in shares of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) by 2.6% in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The fund owned 119,725 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,004 shares during the quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd’s holdings in Applied Materials were worth $61,225,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Harborfront Financial Group LLC bought a new position in shares of Applied Materials during the second quarter worth about $27,000. Orion Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Applied Materials in the second quarter worth about $33,000. Highland Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Applied Materials in the second quarter valued at about $33,000. BOK Financial Private Wealth Inc. bought a new stake in Applied Materials in the second quarter valued at about $41,000. Finally, Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA acquired a new stake in Applied Materials during the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Institutional investors own 80.56% of the company’s stock.

Insider Buying and Selling at Applied Materials

In other Applied Materials news, CFO Brice Hill sold 7,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $479.25, for a total value of $3,594,375.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 128,613 shares in the company, valued at approximately $61,637,780.25. This trade represents a 5.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CAO Adam Sanders sold 725 shares of Applied Materials stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $544.56, for a total value of $394,806.00. Following the sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 3,181 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,732,245.36. This trade represents 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. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 9,225 shares of company stock worth $4,454,181. 0.30% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on AMAT. Citigroup reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $710.00 price objective (up from $550.00) on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on Applied Materials from $515.00 to $660.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 14th. HC Wainwright set a $850.00 target price on Applied Materials in a research note on Monday, June 29th. Seaport Research Partners reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $575.00 target price (up from $500.00) on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Friday, August 14th. Finally, B. Riley Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $700.00 price target (down from $790.00) on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Friday, August 14th. Thirty analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $632.70.

Trending Headlines about Applied Materials

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

• Positive Sentiment: Several Wall Street firms continue to see substantial upside for Applied Materials after its recent decline. Analysts are reportedly raising earnings estimates, while some price targets imply the shares could more than double if semiconductor capital spending and AI-related demand remain strong. Applied Materials Cratered 20% Since July
• Positive Sentiment: Investor analysis highlights Applied Materials’ position as a key supplier of the equipment required to manufacture advanced chips. Its profitability and cash generation provide resources for research and development, potentially supporting a durable competitive advantage as chipmakers invest in increasingly complex processes. Applied Materials vs. ASML: Which Can Carry a Bigger Research Bill?
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparisons with Broadcom focus on whether share repurchases are actually reducing diluted share counts after accounting for stock-based compensation and the cash needed to fund growth. The discussion is relevant to long-term shareholder returns but does not represent a new buyback announcement. Broadcom vs. Applied Materials: Which Buybacks Are Actually Shrinking the Share Count?
• Neutral Sentiment: Applied Materials was named a recipient of the Conference Board’s inaugural 2027 Innovation Awards, offering reputational support but little immediate earnings impact. The stock is also attracting elevated investor attention, increasing visibility without establishing a clear fundamental catalyst. The Conference Board Announces Inaugural 2027 Innovation Awards Honorees
• Negative Sentiment: ETF funds sold approximately $58.8 million of Applied Materials shares on October 15, creating near-term technical pressure. In addition, commentary warns that the stock’s strong prior performance may have already priced in much of its AI opportunity, leaving the shares vulnerable if growth or semiconductor spending disappoints. Applied Materials Sees $58.8 Million in Net ETF Selling

Applied Materials Stock Performance

Shares of AMAT opened at $413.11 on Tuesday. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $478.34 and a 200-day moving average of $486.73. The company has a market cap of $327.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 1.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 1.79 and a current ratio of 2.42. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 1 year low of $203.40 and a 1 year high of $739.67.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 13th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $3.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.40 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $9.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $8.99 billion. Applied Materials had a net margin of 30.05% and a return on equity of 38.02%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 24.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $2.48 EPS. Applied Materials has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 3.820-4.220 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.79 earnings per share for the current year.

Applied Materials Announces Dividend

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a $0.53 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. Applied Materials’s dividend payout ratio is 18.28%.

Applied Materials Company Profile

Applied Materials, Inc is a technology company that supplies equipment, services and software used to manufacture semiconductors and advanced displays. Its products help customers fabricate the integrated circuits and other components used in computers, mobile devices, data centers, automobiles and a range of connected technologies.

The company’s offerings include systems for materials engineering, wafer fabrication, inspection and process control, along with equipment and services designed to improve manufacturing productivity and yield.