B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG Increases Position in Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT

Key Points

• B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG increased its Applied Materials stake by 9.6% in the second quarter, acquiring 12,368 additional shares for a total position worth approximately $101.8 million. Institutional investors collectively own 80.56% of the company.
• Applied Materials reported quarterly earnings of $3.50 per share and revenue of $9.12 billion, beating analyst expectations while revenue grew 24.8% year over year. The company also issued fourth-quarter guidance of $3.82–$4.22 in EPS.
• Analyst sentiment remains positive, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $659.83, although several firms recently lowered their targets. Shares traded at $488.08, well below the 50-day moving average, amid concerns about semiconductor-cycle risks and elevated valuation.

B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG boosted its stake in Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT - Free Report) by 9.6% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 140,817 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock after acquiring an additional 12,368 shares during the period. Applied Materials accounts for about 0.9% of B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG's holdings, making the stock its 26th biggest position. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG's holdings in Applied Materials were worth $101,811,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in AMAT. Virtus Advisers LLC increased its holdings in shares of Applied Materials by 2,081.0% in the second quarter. Virtus Advisers LLC now owns 4,362 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $3,154,000 after purchasing an additional 4,162 shares during the period. Silvant Capital Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Applied Materials by 72.9% during the second quarter. Silvant Capital Management LLC now owns 31,699 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock worth $22,918,000 after purchasing an additional 13,360 shares during the period. Reliant Investment Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Applied Materials during the second quarter worth $308,000. Fischer Financial Services Inc. purchased a new position in Applied Materials in the 2nd quarter valued at $4,327,000. Finally, Ninepoint Partners LP purchased a new position in Applied Materials in the 2nd quarter valued at $576,000. 80.56% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently commented on AMAT shares. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Applied Materials from $646.00 to $642.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, August 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a "buy" rating and set a $645.00 price target on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Monday, August 3rd. TD Cowen restated a "buy" rating and issued a $700.00 price objective on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Friday, August 14th. B. Riley Financial reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $700.00 price objective (down from $790.00) on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Friday, August 14th. Finally, Argus set a $600.00 target price on Applied Materials in a research report on Tuesday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have assigned a Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $659.83.

Applied Materials Price Performance

Applied Materials stock traded down $8.13 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $488.08. 2,766,408 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 8,217,668. The company has a market capitalization of $387.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 42.08, a P/E/G ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.61. The firm's 50-day simple moving average is $564.17 and its 200-day simple moving average is $450.76. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 1 year low of $154.46 and a 1 year high of $739.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20, a quick ratio of 1.79 and a current ratio of 2.42.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 13th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $3.50 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $3.40 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $9.12 billion during 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 company's revenue was up 24.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.48 earnings per share. Applied Materials has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 3.820-4.220 EPS. On average, analysts anticipate that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.73 EPS for the current year.

Applied Materials Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 20th will be given a $0.53 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, August 20th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Applied Materials's dividend payout ratio is presently 18.28%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Gary E. Dickerson sold 20,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $735.22, for a total transaction of $14,704,400.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,599,843 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,176,236,570.46. This trade represents a 1.23% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, SVP Omkaram Nalamasu sold 24,263 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred 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 completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 146,916 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $87,184,361.88. This represents a 14.17% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 277,820 shares of company stock valued at $169,538,434. 0.30% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Trending Headlines about Applied Materials

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

• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan reiterated an Overweight rating, citing the potential for Applied Materials’ semiconductor systems revenue to grow approximately 40% this year. AI-related investment is estimated to represent about 80% of chip-equipment demand, supporting expectations for sustained growth. Applied Materials Sees Years Of AI-Fueled Growth Ahead
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst coverage remains broadly supportive, including a Buy rating from Berenberg. Applied Materials’ advanced-packaging equipment, exposure to high-bandwidth memory, and expected memory and foundry capacity additions are viewed as important growth drivers. Applied Materials Receives a Buy from Berenberg Bank
• Neutral Sentiment: The company recently delivered record quarterly revenue of $9.12 billion, up 24.8% year over year, and exceeded earnings expectations. Its next-quarter earnings guidance also topped consensus, but the strong results had largely raised investor expectations before the report. Applied Materials Delivered a Record Quarter
• Negative Sentiment: Chip-equipment stocks have been broadly sold, suggesting concerns about the semiconductor cycle and whether AI-related capital spending can justify current valuations. Applied Materials trades at a relatively high earnings multiple, increasing sensitivity to any slowdown or disappointment.
• Negative Sentiment: Hedge-fund positioning has added pressure: Paul Tudor Jones reportedly liquidated his common-stock position and increased put exposure, while Michael Burry is betting against the shares. These moves do not necessarily signal a fundamental deterioration, but they reinforce near-term bearish sentiment. Paul Tudor Jones Liquidated His Applied Materials Stake

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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