Trust Co. of Vermont Purchases Shares of 119,735 Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT

Key Points

• Trust Co. of Vermont acquired 119,735 Applied Materials shares valued at approximately $86.6 million, making AMAT its fourth-largest holding and representing about 3.2% of its portfolio. Institutional investors collectively own 80.56% of the company.
• Applied Materials reported strong quarterly results, with revenue rising 24.8% year over year to $9.12 billion and earnings of $3.50 per share, exceeding analysts’ expectations. The company also issued quarterly dividend of $0.53 per share, equivalent to a 0.4% yield.
• Analyst sentiment remains broadly positive, with a “Moderate Buy” consensus and average price target of $659.83, although insider selling and a broader chip-equipment selloff are weighing on sentiment despite strong AI-driven demand prospects.

Trust Co. of Vermont acquired a new stake in Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT - Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 119,735 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock, valued at approximately $86,568,000. Applied Materials makes up approximately 3.2% of Trust Co. of Vermont's investment portfolio, making the stock its 4th largest holding.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of the company. Brighton Jones LLC grew its stake in Applied Materials by 28.0% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 12,674 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock worth $2,061,000 after buying an additional 2,771 shares during the period. Sivia Capital Partners LLC raised its stake in shares of Applied Materials by 26.7% in the 2nd quarter. Sivia Capital Partners LLC now owns 3,225 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $590,000 after acquiring an additional 679 shares during the period. Forefront Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Applied Materials in the 2nd quarter valued at $410,000. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. lifted its holdings in shares of Applied Materials by 30.1% during the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 15,003 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $2,747,000 after acquiring an additional 3,469 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sei Investments Co. lifted its holdings in shares of Applied Materials by 59.3% during the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 422,694 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider's stock valued at $77,383,000 after acquiring an additional 157,426 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.56% of the company's stock.

Applied Materials Trading Up 0.0%

Shares of NASDAQ AMAT opened at $496.21 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.79, a current ratio of 2.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.20. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $564.17 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $450.76. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 52-week low of $154.46 and a 52-week high of $739.67. The stock has a market capitalization of $393.97 billion, a P/E ratio of 42.78, a PEG ratio of 1.06 and a beta of 1.61.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 13th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $3.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $3.40 by $0.10. The company 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%. The firm's revenue was up 24.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $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 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Applied Materials Announces Dividend

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have recently weighed in on AMAT shares. Zacks Research raised Applied Materials from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 1st. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $605.00 target price on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Friday, August 14th. KeyCorp upped their price target on Applied Materials from $550.00 to $750.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, June 29th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $500.00 to $590.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, June 11th. Finally, Morgan Stanley dropped their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $646.00 to $642.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have given a Buy rating and five have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $659.83.

Applied Materials News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: AI-driven demand outlook remains strong. JPMorgan maintained an Overweight rating and said Applied Materials’ semiconductor-systems revenue could grow about 40% this year, with AI-related spending expected to account for roughly 80% of chip-equipment demand. Applied Materials Sees Years Of AI-Fueled Growth Ahead
• Positive Sentiment: Product launches support advanced packaging and memory growth. New equipment aimed at AI-related chip production, advanced packaging and high-bandwidth memory could benefit Applied Materials as memory manufacturers increase capacity. Can Applied Materials Sustain Its Growth Amid AI-Driven Demand?
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst support remains constructive. Berenberg issued a Buy rating, while recent research coverage and a Zacks Strong Buy momentum ranking provide additional near-term support for AMAT. Applied Materials Receives a Buy from Berenberg Bank
• Neutral Sentiment: Recent results were strong but already appear reflected in expectations. Applied Materials reported record quarterly revenue of $9.12 billion, up 24.8% year over year, and exceeded earnings and revenue estimates. Its above-consensus next-quarter guidance has not prevented the stock from declining, indicating investors may be focused on valuation, positioning and broader sector concerns. Applied Materials Delivered a Record Quarter
• Negative Sentiment: Institutional selling is weighing on sentiment. Paul Tudor Jones liquidated his common-stock position and reportedly increased his put exposure. Dr. Michael Burry is also betting against AMAT, creating headline risk even though these trades do not necessarily represent a broad rejection of AI investment. Paul Tudor Jones Liquidated His Applied Materials Stake
• Negative Sentiment: Chip-equipment stocks are facing a sector-wide selloff. Applied Materials, Lam Research and Teradyne have fallen together, raising concerns about semiconductor-cycle timing, customer capital-expenditure plans and whether AI expectations have become too optimistic. What Is Prompting the Selloff in Chip Equipment Stocks?

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other 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 value of $5,547,872.50. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 40,559 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $24,326,071.43. This represents a 18.57% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Gary E. Dickerson sold 71,727 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $593.75, for a total value of $42,587,906.25. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 1,695,164 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,006,503,625. This trade represents a 4.06% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last three months, insiders sold 277,820 shares of company stock worth $169,538,434. 0.30% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Applied Materials 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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