Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) Director Thomas Iannotti Sells 9,250 Shares

Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) Director Thomas Iannotti sold 9,250 shares of Applied Materials stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $599.77, for a total transaction of $5,547,872.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 40,559 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $24,326,071.43. The trade was a 18.57% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

Applied Materials Stock Up 4.3%

NASDAQ AMAT opened at $592.92 on Thursday. 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, Inc. has a 1-year low of $154.46 and a 1-year high of $623.35. The company has a 50 day moving average of $441.16 and a 200-day moving average of $360.55. The company has a market cap of $470.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 55.67, a PEG ratio of 1.58 and a beta of 1.67.

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, 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 company had revenue of $7.91 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.68 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $2.39 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. Applied Materials has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.160-3.560 EPS. On average, equities research analysts expect that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.1 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Applied Materials Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, August 20th will be given a dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 20th. Applied Materials’s payout ratio is currently 19.91%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have commented on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $415.00 to $510.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. Needham & Company LLC boosted their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $440.00 to $530.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $400.00 to $515.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Applied Materials from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Applied Materials from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, May 23rd. Twenty-seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $489.16.

Trending Headlines about Applied Materials

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

• Positive Sentiment: Applied Materials benefited from a Citi target increase and broader enthusiasm around AI infrastructure spending, with investors viewing the company as well-positioned for sustained demand in semiconductor equipment. Applied Materials surges as Citi lifts target on AI demand boom
• Positive Sentiment: The company unveiled SENZ, a new integrated visual system for next-generation smart glasses, and announced a long-term partnership with EssilorLuxottica, creating a potential growth avenue beyond its core chipmaking tools business. EssilorLuxottica and Applied Materials Join Forces to Advance Augmented Reality Optics Platforms for Next-Generation Smart Glasses
• Positive Sentiment: Several recent articles highlighted strong fundamentals, record results, and optimism that Applied Materials is a key beneficiary of the AI equipment super-cycle, reinforcing the stock’s bullish momentum. Applied Materials: The Cheapest Seat On The AI Equipment Super-Cycle
• Neutral Sentiment: Multiple insiders, including CEO Gary Dickerson, sold shares totaling about $65 million, which can raise questions about near-term valuation even though the sales were relatively small versus their remaining holdings. Why Applied Materials Insiders Sold $65 Million Worth of Stock
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Gary Dickerson sold 71,727 shares at about $593.75 per share, adding to the day’s insider-sale headlines and potentially putting some pressure on sentiment. Gary Dickerson Sells 71,727 Shares of Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) Stock

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Militia Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Applied Materials during the first quarter worth $295,000. Pine Valley Investments Ltd Liability Co increased its holdings in shares of Applied Materials by 10.9% during the first quarter. Pine Valley Investments Ltd Liability Co now owns 29,297 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock worth $10,013,000 after buying an additional 2,890 shares in the last quarter. First Nebraska Trust Co acquired a new position in shares of Applied Materials during the first quarter worth $29,488,000. Foguth Wealth Management LLC. acquired a new position in shares of Applied Materials during the first quarter worth $234,000. Finally, Financial Solutions Advisory Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Applied Materials during the first quarter worth $885,000. 80.56% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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.