Insider Selling: Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) CEO Sells 11,273 Shares of Stock

Key Points

• CEO Gary Dickerson sold 11,273 Applied Materials shares on June 15 at an average price of $590.03, totaling about $6.65 million. After the sale, he still owned 1,766,891 shares, a 0.63% reduction in his stake.
• Applied Materials shares were up 4.3%, trading around $592.92 amid unusually heavy volume. The stock has risen sharply from its 50-day and 200-day moving averages and is near its 12-month high.
• The company reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results, with EPS of $2.86 and revenue of $7.91 billion, both topping analyst estimates. Applied Materials also raised its Q3 2026 guidance and recently declared a $0.53 quarterly dividend.

Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT - Get Free Report) CEO Gary Dickerson sold 11,273 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $590.03, for a total transaction of $6,651,408.19. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 1,766,891 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,042,518,696.73. This represents a 0.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Applied Materials Stock Up 4.3%

Shares of NASDAQ AMAT traded up $24.69 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $592.92. 11,009,669 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,645,653. The company has a quick ratio of 1.80, a current ratio of 2.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. The company has a market cap of $470.75 billion, a PE ratio of 55.67, a PEG ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 1.67. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $436.36 and a 200-day moving average price of $358.14. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 12 month low of $154.46 and a 12 month high of $623.35.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 14th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $2.86 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.68 by $0.18. The firm 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%. Applied Materials's revenue was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.39 EPS. Applied Materials has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.160-3.560 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.1 EPS for the current year.

Applied Materials Announces Dividend

The firm also recently declared 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 of this dividend is Thursday, August 20th. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Applied Materials's dividend payout ratio is presently 19.91%.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts recently issued reports on AMAT shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Applied Materials from $400.00 to $515.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. HSBC began coverage on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Friday, May 8th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $517.00 price objective for the company. Truist Financial set a $575.00 target price on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Thursday, May 28th. Zacks Research lowered shares of Applied Materials from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Monday, April 27th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on shares of Applied Materials from $415.00 to $510.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. Twenty-seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and eight have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Applied Materials presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $489.16.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Applied Materials

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC acquired a new position in Applied Materials in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Applied Materials during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC acquired a new stake in Applied Materials during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Financial Freedom LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Applied Materials in the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted 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 valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.56% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting Applied Materials

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

• Positive Sentiment: Citi’s higher price target and broader optimism around AI spending are fueling demand for semiconductor equipment stocks, with AMAT singled out as a beneficiary. Applied Materials surges as Citi lifts target on AI demand boom
• Positive Sentiment: Applied Materials unveiled SENZ, a fully integrated visual system for next-generation smart glasses, expanding its addressable market beyond semiconductor tools and into AI/AR hardware infrastructure. Applied Materials shares jump on launch of integrated AR smart glasses system
• Positive Sentiment: Its Semiconductor Systems segment is still benefiting from AI-driven chip investments, with record revenue and strength in advanced packaging pointing to continued momentum in 2026. Can AMAT's Semiconductor Systems Segment Sustain Momentum in 2026?
• Positive Sentiment: A long-term partnership with EssilorLuxottica to develop AR optics and AI-powered smart eyewear gives AMAT another growth narrative and supports the view that the company is building new revenue streams. EssilorLuxottica and Applied Materials Join Forces to Advance Augmented Reality Optics Platforms for Next-Generation Smart Glasses
• Neutral Sentiment: Several commentary pieces argue that semiconductor equipment suppliers are capturing outsized value in the AI supply chain, reinforcing a favorable industry backdrop for AMAT. Why Semiconductor Equipment Suppliers Are Crushing Their Customers in 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Some market commentary notes AMAT’s valuation has become stretched, which could make the stock more vulnerable if AI demand or analyst enthusiasm cools. Applied Materials valuation tops dot-com peak

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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