Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT Stake Lessened by New York State Teachers Retirement System

Key Points

• New York State Teachers Retirement System cut its stake in Applied Materials by 3.6%, selling 23,208 shares and leaving it with 626,062 shares valued at about $160.9 million (≈0.08% ownership).
• Applied Materials beat quarterly estimates (EPS $2.38 vs. $2.21; revenue $7.01B vs. $6.88B), issued Q2 FY2026 guidance of $2.44–$2.84, and has drawn bullish analyst actions and higher price targets amid AI-driven semiconductor demand.
• The company raised its quarterly dividend to $0.53 (annualized $2.12, ~0.5% yield), while insiders have sold shares recently (12,003 shares worth ~$4.48M in the last 90 days).

New York State Teachers Retirement System cut its stake in Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT - Free Report) by 3.6% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 626,062 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock after selling 23,208 shares during the period. New York State Teachers Retirement System owned approximately 0.08% of Applied Materials worth $160,892,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Applied Materials by 48.7% in the fourth quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. Joseph Group Capital Management bought a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Marquette Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Applied Materials by 150.0% in the third quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 125 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Finally, Manning & Napier Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the third quarter valued at approximately $31,000. 80.56% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Trending Headlines about Applied Materials

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

• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group upgraded AMAT to Buy, citing continued AI-driven semiconductor investment and positioning Applied as a primary beneficiary of advanced-node equipment demand. This supports the bull case and likely helps near-term share gains. Erste Group Upgrades Applied Materials
• Positive Sentiment: Erste analysts also nudged FY2026–FY2027 EPS estimates slightly higher (FY2026 to ~$11.08 and FY2027 to ~$14.00), signaling improved earnings trajectory vs. prior forecasts and reinforcing buy-side interest. (Market commentary)
• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer mentioned AMAT as one of the attractive capex-exposed names on Mad Money, increasing retail/institutional visibility and potentially lifting demand from momentum traders. Jim Cramer Considers Applied Materials
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent valuation checks and coverage note that AMAT has outperformed YTD and over recent months; investors are reassessing valuation vs. growth, which could support further multiple expansion if growth persists or cap expectations cool if not. Applied Materials Valuation Check
• Neutral Sentiment: AMAT remains a trending stock on investor screens (coverage from Zacks highlights interest drivers and risks) — increased attention can amplify moves both directions. Zacks: Why AMAT is Trending
• Negative Sentiment: The U.S. Commerce Department ordered restrictions that pause certain tool shipments to Chinese foundry Hua Hong, increasing regulatory risk and potential near-term revenue pressure from China exposure. This is the primary near-term headwind to watch. US Export Curbs On Hua Hong
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks downgraded AMAT from "strong-buy" to "hold", which could temper some buy-side momentum and suggests caution among certain retail-focused analysts. Zacks Downgrade

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently issued reports on AMAT. Zacks Research cut shares of Applied Materials from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $470.00 price objective on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Friday, February 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $310.00 to $390.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, February 13th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an "outperform" rating and set a $425.00 target price on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "buy" rating and set a $450.00 target price on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Friday, February 13th. Twenty-seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $368.29.

Applied Materials Trading Up 3.1%

Shares of NASDAQ:AMAT opened at $394.49 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $313.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.38, a PEG ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 1.64. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 1-year low of $148.74 and a 1-year high of $420.50. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 1.94 and a current ratio of 2.71. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $368.64 and a 200 day moving average price of $305.94.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $2.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $2.21 by $0.17. The firm had revenue of $7.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $6.88 billion. Applied Materials had a net margin of 27.78% and a return on equity of 37.52%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.38 earnings per share. Applied Materials has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.440-2.840 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 11.11 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Applied Materials Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 11th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 21st will be given a $0.53 dividend. This is a boost from Applied Materials's previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 21st. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.5%. Applied Materials's payout ratio is currently 18.83%.

Insider Activity at Applied Materials

In related news, Director Judy Bruner sold 2,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $391.71, for a total value of $979,275.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 26,089 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,219,322.19. This represents a 8.74% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CAO Adam Sanders sold 534 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $379.16, for a total transaction of $202,471.44. Following the completion of the sale, the chief accounting officer owned 4,625 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,753,615. This trade represents a 10.35% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 12,003 shares of company stock worth $4,484,189. 0.30% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

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.

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