Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT Stock: Axxcess Wealth Management LLC Lowers Stake

Key Points

• Axxcess Wealth Management cut its Applied Materials stake by 83.5% in the third quarter, selling 24,473 shares and retaining 4,852 shares valued at $2.48 million. Institutional investors overall own 80.56% of the company.
• Analysts remain broadly positive, with 30 Buy ratings and nine Holds, producing a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $632.70. However, company insiders have sold 9,225 shares worth approximately $4.45 million over the past 90 days.
• Applied Materials recently exceeded quarterly earnings and revenue estimates, but its shares remain below their 50- and 200-day moving averages amid concerns about semiconductor-equipment supply constraints and the execution risk of its long-term growth targets.

Axxcess Wealth Management LLC reduced its stake in Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT - Free Report) by 83.5% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 4,852 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock after selling 24,473 shares during the quarter. Axxcess Wealth Management LLC's holdings in Applied Materials were worth $2,481,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. State Street Corp raised its holdings in Applied Materials by 85.4% during the 2nd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 69,525,842 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock worth $50,267,184,000 after purchasing an additional 32,018,892 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE acquired a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $5,252,863,000. Jupiter Topco LLC acquired a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,512,287,000. Amundi boosted its stake in shares of Applied Materials by 19.0% in the 2nd quarter. Amundi now owns 7,808,207 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $5,645,344,000 after purchasing an additional 1,246,876 shares during the last quarter. Finally, BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Applied Materials by 1.6% in the 2nd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 80,212,518 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $57,993,650,000 after purchasing an additional 1,237,685 shares during the last quarter. 80.56% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on AMAT shares. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an "overweight" rating on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Tuesday. William Blair initiated coverage on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. They issued a "market perform" rating on the stock. Seaport Research Partners reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $575.00 price target (up from $500.00) on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Friday, August 14th. Royal Bank Of Canada reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $600.00 price target on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Wednesday, October 14th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded Applied Materials from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a report on Wednesday, September 9th. Thirty investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Applied Materials has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $632.70.

Insider Activity

In related news, CFO Brice Hill sold 7,500 shares of the business's 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 sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 128,613 shares of the company's stock, valued at $61,637,780.25. The trade was a 5.51% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CAO Adam Sanders sold 725 shares of the business's 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 sale, the chief accounting officer directly owned 3,181 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,732,245.36. The trade was a 18.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. 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. Company insiders own 0.30% of the company's stock.

Applied Materials News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Applied Materials saw approximately $102.1 million of net ETF buying on Tuesday, indicating continued institutional demand for the stock despite recent weakness. Applied Materials Sees $102.1 Million in Net ETF Buying on Tuesday
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s Semiconductor Systems business is positioned to benefit from AI-chip investment in advanced logic, DRAM and advanced packaging. These trends could support revenue growth and margin expansion in coming years. Can Semiconductor Systems Drive AMAT's Next Growth Phase?
• Neutral Sentiment: Applied Materials will report fourth-quarter and fiscal 2026 results on November 12, 2026. The announcement gives investors a clear upcoming catalyst, but contains no change to earnings guidance. Applied Materials to Report Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2026 Results on Nov. 12, 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Lam Research’s outlook, described as only “a bit higher,” disappointed investors following an otherwise strong quarter. Its warning that supply constraints could limit growth pressured the broader chip-equipment group, including AMAT. Applied Materials Sinks on Lam's Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: The sector-wide selloff reflects concerns that equipment makers may face near-term capacity and supply limitations even as AI demand remains strong. Applied Materials’ shares also remain below their recent moving averages, amplifying investor caution. Lam Research Sinks as Supply Constraints Cap Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Investors have reacted cautiously to Applied Materials’ 2030 plan, including a target of more than $12 billion in services revenue and roughly 54% non-GAAP gross margin. The long-term targets may require substantial execution and are not immediately easing concerns about the current equipment cycle. Applied Materials Slides After Targeting $12 Billion in Services by 2030

Applied Materials Stock Performance

NASDAQ:AMAT opened at $375.58 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average of $469.97 and a 200-day moving average of $487.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $298.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.38, a P/E/G ratio of 1.14 and a beta of 1.60. The company has a quick ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 2.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. Applied Materials, Inc. has a twelve month low of $203.40 and a twelve month high of $739.67.

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

Applied Materials Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, November 19th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.6%. Applied Materials's dividend payout ratio is currently 18.28%.

Applied Materials 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.

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