Beto Financial Group LLC Takes $817,000 Position in Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT

Key Points

• Beto Financial Group LLC opened a new position in Applied Materials during the fourth quarter, buying 3,178 shares valued at about $817,000.
• Applied Materials recently reported better-than-expected quarterly results, with EPS of $2.86 and revenue of $7.91 billion, both topping analyst estimates. The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $0.53 per share from $0.46.
• Wall Street sentiment remains constructive: several firms reiterated or raised bullish ratings and price targets, and the stock currently carries a Moderate Buy consensus with an average target price of $470.13.

Beto Financial Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT - Free Report) during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 3,178 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock, valued at approximately $817,000.

A number of other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of AMAT. Godsey & Gibb Inc. boosted its stake in Applied Materials by 2.6% in the 4th quarter. Godsey & Gibb Inc. now owns 1,298 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock worth $334,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Family Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in Applied Materials by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Family Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,227 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock worth $1,086,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Denali Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Applied Materials by 0.7% in the 4th quarter. Denali Advisors LLC now owns 4,582 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock worth $1,178,000 after purchasing an additional 34 shares in the last quarter. Traveka Wealth LLC boosted its stake in Applied Materials by 2.6% in the 4th quarter. Traveka Wealth LLC now owns 1,404 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock worth $361,000 after purchasing an additional 36 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in Applied Materials by 48.7% in the 4th quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.56% of the company's stock.

Applied Materials Price Performance

NASDAQ AMAT opened at $458.17 on Tuesday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $399.26 and a 200-day moving average price of $335.80. The firm has a market capitalization of $363.77 billion, a P/E ratio of 43.02, a PEG ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 1.67. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 52 week low of $154.46 and a 52 week high of $463.88. The company has a quick ratio of 1.80, a current ratio of 2.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 14th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $2.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.68 by $0.18. The company had revenue of $7.91 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.68 billion. Applied Materials had a net margin of 29.31% and a return on equity of 36.97%. The firm's quarterly revenue was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $2.39 EPS. Applied Materials has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.160-3.560 EPS. Equities research analysts anticipate that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.02 earnings per share for the current year.

Applied Materials Increases Dividend

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 11th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, May 21st will be paid a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.5%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 21st. This is a positive change from Applied Materials's previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. Applied Materials's dividend payout ratio is currently 19.91%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on AMAT shares. Wall Street Zen raised Applied Materials from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Saturday, May 23rd. HSBC started coverage on Applied Materials in a research report on Friday, May 8th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $517.00 target price for the company. Bank of America boosted their target price on Applied Materials from $465.00 to $540.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. Zacks Research lowered Applied Materials from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Finally, KGI Securities raised Applied Materials to an "outperform" rating and set a $425.00 target price for the company in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Twenty-seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Applied Materials currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $470.13.

Insider Activity at Applied Materials

In other news, Director Judy Bruner sold 1,128 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $450.00, for a total transaction of $507,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 26,544 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,944,800. This represents a 4.08% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CAO Adam Sanders sold 268 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $434.22, for a total value of $116,370.96. Following the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 4,280 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,858,461.60. This represents a 5.89% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Corporate insiders own 0.30% of the company's stock.

Key Applied Materials News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer said he’s betting that Applied Materials “will just keep winning,” reinforcing the bullish case for the stock and adding to positive investor momentum. Jim Cramer Says He’s Betting “Applied Materials Will Just Keep Winning”
• Positive Sentiment: Recent analyst coverage remained constructive, with Mizuho reportedly raising its price target on Applied Materials to $540 from $500 while reiterating an Outperform rating, signaling continued confidence in the company’s long-term fundamentals. Applied Materials (AMAT) – Among the 10 Best Long-Term Dividend Stocks to Invest In According to Billionaires
• Positive Sentiment: Articles focused on Applied Materials as a trending stock and a favored “real value” AI/semiconductor name, suggesting rising investor attention and support for the share price. Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
• Neutral Sentiment: Brokerage-focused commentary emphasized that Wall Street’s bullish views matter for the stock, but did not add a new catalyst beyond reinforcing existing optimism. Is It Worth Investing in Applied Materials (AMAT) Based on Wall Street's Bullish Views?
• Neutral Sentiment: Broadcom’s announcement of new AI and edge-network platforms mentioned Applied Materials as one of several partners, which is supportive context for the semiconductor ecosystem but not a direct AMAT-specific catalyst. Why Broadcom (AVGO) Is Up 11.1% After New AI Data Center And Edge Network Platforms
• Negative Sentiment: No major negative company-specific developments were highlighted in the provided articles, so there is little evidence of a fundamental headwind driving AMAT lower today.

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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