CIBC Asset Management Inc Trims Stock Holdings in Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT

Key Points

• CIBC Asset Management trimmed its Applied Materials stake by 2.7% in the fourth quarter, though it still held 339,605 shares valued at about $87.2 million.
• Applied Materials reported strong fiscal Q2 results, beating EPS and revenue estimates, and it guided Q3 EPS above Wall Street expectations, reinforcing a positive outlook for semiconductor equipment demand.
• The company also raised its quarterly dividend to $0.53 from $0.46, while analysts remain broadly constructive with a consensus Moderate Buy rating and several higher price targets.

CIBC Asset Management Inc reduced its stake in Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT - Free Report) by 2.7% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 339,605 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock after selling 9,356 shares during the quarter. CIBC Asset Management Inc's holdings in Applied Materials were worth $87,225,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the stock. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Applied Materials during the third quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Highline Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of 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 during the period. Joseph Group Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Applied Materials by 52.4% in the 4th quarter. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC now owns 128 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 44 shares during the period. Finally, IMG Wealth Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Applied Materials by 147.2% in the 4th quarter. IMG Wealth Management Inc. now owns 131 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $34,000 after acquiring an additional 78 shares during the period. 80.56% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Applied Materials News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Jim Cramer said Applied Materials “can’t keep up with demand” and later added that he’s betting the company “will just keep winning,” reinforcing a bullish narrative around AI-driven semiconductor equipment demand. Applied Materials (AMAT) Can’t Keep Up With Demand, Says Jim Cramer
• Positive Sentiment: Applied Materials presented at the Bank of America 2026 Global Technology Conference, keeping the stock in focus and potentially giving management a chance to highlight demand trends, margin outlook, and AI-related opportunities. Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) Presents at Bank of America 2026 Global Technology Conference Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Multiple recent articles describe AMAT as a trending stock and note Wall Street’s bullish view, suggesting investor sentiment remains constructive heading into the next catalyst. Is It Worth Investing in Applied Materials (AMAT) Based on Wall Street's Bullish Views?
• Positive Sentiment: Another piece highlights AMAT’s growing attention among investors, which can support momentum in a stock that is already trading near its 52-week high. Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It
• Neutral Sentiment: Several commentary pieces discuss Applied Materials’ “real value” and broader AI investment themes, but they do not appear to include a direct new fundamental update that would materially change the near-term outlook. Applied Materials And Its Real Value
• Neutral Sentiment: Broadcom-related coverage mentioned Applied Materials as a partner in new AI data center and network platform announcements, but the impact on AMAT itself appears indirect for now. Why Broadcom (AVGO) Is Up 11.1% After New AI Data Center And Edge Network Platforms

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CAO Adam Sanders sold 268 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $434.22, for a total value of $116,370.96. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 4,280 shares in the company, valued at $1,858,461.60. This trade represents a 5.89% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Judy Bruner sold 1,128 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $450.00, for a total value of $507,600.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 26,544 shares of the company's stock, valued at $11,944,800. This trade represents a 4.08% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Company insiders own 0.30% of the company's stock.

Applied Materials Trading Up 7.0%

Shares of NASDAQ:AMAT opened at $490.05 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $389.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 46.01, a PEG ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 1.67. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 1-year low of $154.46 and a 1-year high of $491.51. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a quick ratio of 1.80 and a current ratio of 2.51. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $399.26 and a 200 day moving average price of $335.80.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 14th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $2.86 earnings per share for the quarter, topping 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 firm had revenue of $7.91 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $7.68 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $2.39 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Applied Materials has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.160-3.560 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.02 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Applied Materials Increases Dividend

The business 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 positive change from Applied Materials's previous quarterly dividend of $0.46. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, May 21st. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Applied Materials's dividend payout ratio is 19.91%.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages recently commented on AMAT. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on Applied Materials from $450.00 to $550.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. KGI Securities upgraded Applied Materials to an "outperform" rating and set a $425.00 price target for the company in a report on Friday, February 13th. Wolfe Research boosted their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $500.00 to $550.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. Zacks Research downgraded Applied Materials from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Finally, Truist Financial set a $575.00 price objective on Applied Materials in a research note on Thursday, May 28th. Twenty-seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Applied Materials presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $470.13.

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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