Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT Stock Position Lessened by Argent Capital Management LLC

Argent Capital Management LLC reduced its position in shares of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT - Free Report) by 50.5% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 234,016 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock after selling 239,211 shares during the quarter. Applied Materials comprises 2.5% of Argent Capital Management LLC's portfolio, making the stock its 12th largest holding. Argent Capital Management LLC's holdings in Applied Materials were worth $79,984,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. BankChampaign National Association acquired a new position in Applied Materials in the 1st quarter worth approximately $383,000. Groupe la Francaise grew its position in Applied Materials by 339.9% in the first quarter. Groupe la Francaise now owns 154,898 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock worth $52,850,000 after acquiring an additional 119,687 shares in the last quarter. Liontrust Investment Partners LLP increased its holdings in shares of Applied Materials by 17.0% during the 1st quarter. Liontrust Investment Partners LLP now owns 97,521 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $33,332,000 after acquiring an additional 14,182 shares during the last quarter. Pathway Wealth Management LLC raised its position in shares of Applied Materials by 8.0% in the first quarter. Pathway Wealth Management LLC now owns 6,100 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $2,085,000 after purchasing an additional 450 shares during the period. Finally, Western Wealth Management LLC lifted its position in Applied Materials by 16.1% during the 1st quarter. Western Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,829 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock worth $1,650,000 after acquiring an additional 669 shares during the last quarter. 80.56% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research firms have recently weighed in on AMAT. Bank of America increased their price objective on Applied Materials from $540.00 to $720.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price target on Applied Materials from $510.00 to $770.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, June 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $450.00 to $550.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on shares of Applied Materials from $502.00 to $647.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, July 6th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on Applied Materials from $715.00 to $740.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, June 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have assigned a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Applied Materials has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $599.19.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Thomas J. Iannotti sold 9,250 shares of the company's 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 sale, the director directly owned 40,559 shares in the company, valued at approximately $24,326,071.43. This represents a 18.57% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Omkaram Nalamasu sold 24,263 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $593.43, for a total value of $14,398,392.09. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 146,916 shares in the company, valued at approximately $87,184,361.88. This represents a 14.17% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 278,088 shares of company stock valued at $169,654,805 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.30% of the company's stock.

Applied Materials Trading Up 1.2%

Shares of Applied Materials stock opened at $507.67 on Friday. The business's 50 day moving average is $550.86 and its 200-day moving average is $429.98. The company has a quick ratio of 1.80, a current ratio of 2.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. The stock has a market cap of $403.07 billion, a P/E ratio of 47.67, a P/E/G ratio of 1.27 and a beta of 1.57. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 12-month low of $154.46 and a 12-month high of $739.67.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 14th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $2.86 EPS 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 business had revenue of $7.91 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.68 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $2.39 EPS. Applied Materials'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. Equities research analysts predict that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.14 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Applied Materials Announces Dividend

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

Key Stories Impacting Applied Materials

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

• Positive Sentiment: Semiconductor stocks rallied this week on strong technology earnings, while three semiconductor ETFs ranked among the largest recipients of new investor cash. The sector-wide buying provides a favorable backdrop for Applied Materials. Semiconductor ETFs Draw Cash This Week as Chip Stocks Rally
• Positive Sentiment: A bullish analysis maintains a “Strong Buy” view after AMAT’s substantial multiyear advance, citing the company’s exposure to AI-driven semiconductor equipment demand and continued operating momentum. Applied Materials: Why I'm Maintaining A Strong Buy After A 45% Run
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks highlighted Applied Materials’ AI-driven momentum, record results, expanding margins and improving customer visibility. These factors reinforce expectations for durable growth. AMAT recently exceeded quarterly earnings and revenue estimates, with revenue increasing year over year and upbeat quarterly earnings guidance. The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights Applied Materials
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage of Lam Research’s surge indicates that AI equipment demand was already visible in industry results. This supports the semiconductor-equipment cycle generally, although it does not provide a company-specific update for AMAT. Lam Research Stock's Surge Was Building In Plain Sight
• Negative Sentiment: Despite long-term support from initiatives such as the AI Materials Foundry, one valuation analysis argues that AMAT may not be a bargain after a 218.9% five-year gain. The elevated valuation and high expectations could limit additional upside or increase sensitivity to any slowdown in AI-related spending. Applied Materials Stock May Not Be A Bargain Despite AI Materials Foundry News

About Applied Materials

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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