Strengthening Families & Communities LLC Buys 2,476 Shares of Applied Materials, Inc. $AMAT

Strengthening Families & Communities LLC boosted its stake in Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) by 38.4% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 8,923 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,476 shares during the quarter. Strengthening Families & Communities LLC’s holdings in Applied Materials were worth $2,293,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Godsey & Gibb Inc. boosted its holdings in Applied Materials by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. Godsey & Gibb Inc. now owns 1,298 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $334,000 after acquiring an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Family Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Applied Materials by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. Family Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,227 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $1,086,000 after acquiring an additional 33 shares in the last quarter. Traveka Wealth LLC boosted its holdings in Applied Materials by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. Traveka Wealth LLC now owns 1,404 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $361,000 after acquiring an additional 36 shares in the last quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its holdings in Applied Materials by 48.7% in the fourth 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 in the last quarter. Finally, Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in Applied Materials by 0.9% in the fourth quarter. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC now owns 4,096 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $1,053,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 80.56% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms recently weighed in on AMAT. DZ Bank upgraded shares of Applied Materials to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, February 16th. B. Riley Financial lifted their price target on shares of Applied Materials from $450.00 to $485.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, April 13th. Erste Group Bank upgraded shares of Applied Materials from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, April 27th. Seaport Research Partners began coverage on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Monday. They set a “buy” rating and a $500.00 target price on the stock. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of Applied Materials from $310.00 to $390.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, February 13th. Twenty-eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $370.86.

Key Applied Materials News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Seaport Research initiated coverage with a Buy and $500 price target, calling AMAT one of the best‑positioned wafer fab equipment suppliers — a bullish institutional endorsement. Seaport Research Initiates Coverage of Applied Materials (AMAT) with Buy
• Positive Sentiment: Applied agreed to buy the NEXX business from ASMPT, expanding panel‑level advanced packaging capabilities tied directly to AI chip supply chains — a strategic bolt‑on for growth in AI packaging. Applied Materials Expands AI Packaging With NEXX Deal As Stock Surges
• Positive Sentiment: Major broker moves (including a Morgan Stanley price‑target lift reported in the press) add analyst support into the earnings window. Morgan Stanley upgrades Applied Materials stock price target pre-earnings
• Neutral Sentiment: AI demand across semiconductors (illustrated by Nvidia’s rally) creates a favorable end‑market backdrop that supports AMAT’s equipment backlog and long‑term growth case. NVIDIA Shares Rally Toward 52-Week High: Buy More or Lock in Gains?
• Neutral Sentiment: Technically, AMAT recently cleared its 20‑day moving average — a short‑term bullish sign that could limit near‑term downside if buying resumes. Applied Materials (AMAT) Just Overtook the 20-Day Moving Average
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple market write‑ups note that AMAT fell more than the broader market today — analysts point to profit‑taking after a ~58% YTD run and positioning ahead of earnings as key drivers. Here’s Why Applied Materials (AMAT) Fell More Than Broader Market
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation is a concern for some investors — AMAT trades at a premium P/S multiple, which raises sensitivity to any guidance miss. Should You Buy, Sell or Hold AMAT Stock at a P/S Valuation of 9.39X?
• Negative Sentiment: Near‑term uncertainty around next week’s earnings report is prompting cautious positioning; even with upside expectations, any conservative guidance could trigger further downside. Applied Materials (AMAT) Reports Next Week: Wall Street Expects Earnings Growth

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Brice Hill sold 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $361.21, for a total value of $1,806,050.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 138,565 shares in the company, valued at $50,051,063.65. The trade was a 3.48% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CAO Adam Sanders sold 534 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $379.16, for a total transaction of $202,471.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 4,625 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,753,615. The trade was a 10.35% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 12,003 shares of company stock worth $4,484,189 in the last quarter. Corporate insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

Applied Materials Stock Performance

Shares of AMAT stock opened at $410.83 on Friday. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 12 month low of $153.47 and a 12 month high of $432.81. The stock has a market cap of $326.04 billion, a PE ratio of 42.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 1.66. The company has a current ratio of 2.71, a quick ratio of 1.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $371.10 and its 200-day moving average price is $311.19.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $2.38 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.21 by $0.17. Applied Materials had a net margin of 27.78% and a return on equity of 37.52%. The firm had revenue of $7.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.88 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $2.38 EPS. The company’s quarterly revenue was down 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. Applied Materials has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.440-2.840 EPS. On average, equities analysts expect that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 11.14 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Applied Materials Increases Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, June 11th. Investors of record on Thursday, May 21st will be paid a $0.53 dividend. This represents a $2.12 dividend on an annualized basis 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 (DPR) is presently 21.70%.

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.