KBC Group NV Buys 889,623 Shares of Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT

Key Points

• KBC Group NV increased its Applied Materials stake by 247.3% in the second quarter, acquiring 889,623 additional shares for a total holding of 1.25 million shares valued at approximately $903.3 million.
• Applied Materials reported quarterly EPS of $3.50 and revenue of $9.12 billion, beating analyst estimates, while revenue rose 24.8% year over year. The company also issued strong fourth-quarter guidance, reflecting continued demand for semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
• Analysts maintain a broadly positive outlook, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and a $640.17 price target, although the stock’s premium valuation and recent insider selling could increase downside risk. Applied Materials also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.53 per share.

KBC Group NV raised its stake in Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT - Free Report) by 247.3% during the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,249,386 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock after acquiring an additional 889,623 shares during the period. Applied Materials comprises about 2.0% of KBC Group NV's investment portfolio, making the stock its 9th largest position. KBC Group NV owned 0.16% of Applied Materials worth $903,306,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Several other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of AMAT. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Applied Materials during the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Applied Materials in the 4th quarter worth about $26,000. Financial Freedom LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Applied Materials during the 1st quarter worth about $28,000. Joseph Group Capital Management acquired a new stake in shares of Applied Materials during the 4th quarter worth about $31,000. Finally, Dogwood Wealth Management LLC lifted its holdings in Applied Materials by 52.4% during the 4th quarter. Dogwood Wealth Management LLC now owns 128 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 44 shares during the last quarter. 80.56% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Applied Materials Trading Up 5.5%

Shares of NASDAQ AMAT opened at $535.31 on Tuesday. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 1-year low of $154.46 and a 1-year high of $739.67. The company has a market cap of $425.01 billion, a PE ratio of 46.15, a P/E/G ratio of 1.25 and a beta of 1.61. The company has a current ratio of 2.42, a quick ratio of 1.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. The company has a 50-day moving average of $565.01 and a two-hundred day moving average of $447.20.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 13th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $3.50 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $3.40 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $9.12 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $8.99 billion. Applied Materials had a net margin of 30.05% and a return on equity of 38.02%. Applied Materials's revenue was up 24.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $2.48 earnings per share. Applied Materials has set its Q4 2026 guidance at 3.820-4.220 EPS. As a group, equities analysts expect that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Applied Materials Dividend Announcement

The company also recently disclosed 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 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.4%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 20th. Applied Materials's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 18.28%.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, SVP Omkaram Nalamasu sold 24,263 shares of Applied Materials 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 completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 146,916 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $87,184,361.88. This trade represents a 14.17% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Thomas J. Iannotti sold 9,250 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $599.77, for a total value of $5,547,872.50. Following the sale, the director owned 40,559 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $24,326,071.43. The trade was a 18.57% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last three months, insiders sold 278,088 shares of company stock worth $169,654,805. 0.30% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research firms have commented on AMAT. Needham & Company LLC restated a "buy" rating and issued a $740.00 price target on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Friday. Mizuho raised their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $540.00 to $650.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 8th. HC Wainwright set a $850.00 target price on shares of Applied Materials in a research note on Monday, June 29th. Seaport Research Partners reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $575.00 target price on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Friday. Finally, UBS Group set a $675.00 price target on Applied Materials and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have issued a Buy rating and six have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $640.17.

Applied Materials News Roundup

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

• Positive Sentiment: Applied Materials reported fiscal third-quarter revenue of approximately $9.12 billion, up 24.8% year over year, while adjusted earnings of $3.50 per share exceeded consensus estimates. Management’s fiscal fourth-quarter revenue outlook of roughly $10.25 billion was also well above analyst expectations, signaling continued momentum. AMAT Q2 Deep Dive: AI Demand and Advanced Packaging Drive Guidance Upside, Market Reacts Cautiously
• Positive Sentiment: Several analysts remained constructive: B. Riley and Needham reiterated buy ratings, while price targets were raised to $600 and $660. These revisions reflect confidence in Applied Materials’ earnings growth and exposure to AI-related chip manufacturing. Applied Materials' Buy Rating Reiterated at B. Riley Financial Applied Materials Price Target Raised to $600 Applied Materials Price Target Raised to $660
• Positive Sentiment: Investment commentary highlights AMAT as a potential beneficiary of the AI-driven memory surge. Higher memory spending and advanced semiconductor production could support equipment demand beyond the current earnings cycle. Why Applied Materials Could Be a Major Winner of the AI Memory Surge
• Neutral Sentiment: Market coverage characterizes the earnings report as fundamentally strong but notes that investors reacted cautiously, implying that much of the growth may already be reflected in the share price. Applied Materials: When Beating Wall Street Numbers Isn't Enough
• Negative Sentiment: Despite record results and guidance, AMAT remains more than 25% below its 52-week high and trades at a premium earnings multiple. That valuation raises the risk of profit-taking or disappointment if AI and memory spending slows. Applied Materials Trades More Than 25% Below Its High With Revenue at a Record

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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