Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT Stake Increased by Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd

Key Points

• Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management increased its Applied Materials stake by 2.6% in the third quarter, bringing its holdings to 119,725 shares valued at approximately $61.2 million. Institutional investors collectively own 80.56% of the company.
• Analysts remain broadly positive: 30 rate the stock a Buy and nine rate it a Hold, resulting in a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $632.70.
• Applied Materials exceeded quarterly expectations with $3.50 in EPS and $9.12 billion in revenue, while revenue rose 24.8% year over year. The company also declared a $0.53 quarterly dividend, representing a 0.5% yield.

Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Company Ltd increased its holdings in shares of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT - Free Report) by 2.6% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor 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 filing with the SEC.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Ausdal Financial Partners Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the 2nd quarter valued at $4,005,000. Caldwell Investment Management Ltd. purchased a new stake in Applied Materials during the 2nd quarter worth $1,589,000. CX Institutional boosted its position in Applied Materials by 333.3% during the 3rd quarter. CX Institutional now owns 25,853 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock worth $12,631,000 after purchasing an additional 19,886 shares during the period. Evolve Private Wealth LLC increased its holdings in Applied Materials by 59.0% in the 1st quarter. Evolve Private Wealth LLC now owns 2,875 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $983,000 after purchasing an additional 1,067 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Principal Financial Group Inc. increased its holdings in Applied Materials by 3.0% in the 2nd quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 1,008,591 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $729,211,000 after purchasing an additional 28,982 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.56% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have commented on the company. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price objective on Applied Materials from $715.00 to $740.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, June 26th. Susquehanna increased their target price on Applied Materials from $575.00 to $900.00 and gave the company a "positive" rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. William Blair assumed coverage on Applied Materials in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. They set a "market perform" rating on the stock. Wall Street Zen upgraded Applied Materials from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, September 26th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Applied Materials from $515.00 to $660.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, August 14th. Thirty equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $632.70.

Applied Materials Price Performance

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

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 13th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $3.50 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.40 by $0.10. The firm had revenue of $9.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $8.99 billion. Applied Materials had a net margin of 30.05% and a return on equity of 38.02%. The firm's revenue was up 24.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.48 EPS. Applied Materials has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 3.820-4.220 EPS. Equities research analysts expect that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.79 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Applied Materials Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be given a dividend of $0.53 per share. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, November 19th. Applied Materials's payout ratio is presently 18.28%.

Applied Materials News Summary

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

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Brice Hill sold 7,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $479.25, for a total value of $3,594,375.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 128,613 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $61,637,780.25. This represents a 5.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Judy Bruner sold 1,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $465.00, for a total value of $465,000.00. Following the sale, the director owned 25,544 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $11,877,960. This trade represents a 3.77% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 9,225 shares of company stock worth $4,454,181. 0.30% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

About Applied Materials

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.

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