Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) is included among the 13 Top Tech Stocks Paying Consistent Dividends. Applied Materials (AMAT) Target Raised, but Mizuho Flags China and Intel Risks Photo by Dan Dennis on Unsplash On December 17, Mizuho raised its price target on Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) to $245 from $205, while keeping a Neutral rating on the stock. The firm sees more upside heading into 2026 as its outlook for wafer fab equipment spending improves. That stronger WFE backdrop is a pos ...

Core Insights - NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) and Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) are key players in the semiconductor and AI sectors, with NVIDIA leading in AI chip design and Applied Materials in chip manufacturing [1][2] NVIDIA (NVDA) Performance - NVIDIA's revenues surged 62% year over year to $57 billion in Q3 fiscal 2026, with earnings per share (EPS) increasing by 60% to $1.30 [3][10] - The Data Center segment generated $51.22 billion in revenues, accounting for 89.8% of total sales, marking a 66% year-over-year increase [5] - NVIDIA's new GPU architectures, Hopper 300 and Blackwell, are gaining traction, with the Blackwell Ultra and Vera Rubin platforms expected to enhance its market position [4] - A partnership with OpenAI is anticipated to drive long-term demand for NVIDIA's GPUs, reinforcing its dominance in the AI chip market [6] Applied Materials (AMAT) Performance - Applied Materials is a major manufacturer of semiconductor fabrication equipment, benefiting from strong demand in foundry-logic, DRAM, and NAND products [7] - The advanced packaging business is projected to grow from $1.5 billion to $3 billion, driven by high-bandwidth memory (HBM) demand [8] - A restructuring of the pricing program is expected to contribute to a 120-basis point gross margin expansion for fiscal 2026, allowing for increased R&D investments [9] Growth Outlook Comparison - NVIDIA's fiscal 2026 estimates indicate a revenue growth of 62% and EPS growth of 55.2%, with projections for fiscal 2027 showing further growth of 42.2% and 52.9% respectively [13][14] - In contrast, Applied Materials is expected to see only 2% revenue growth and a 1.4% EPS increase in fiscal 2026, with projections for fiscal 2027 at 10.3% and 17.9% respectively [14] Valuation and Investment Perspective - NVIDIA shares have increased by 34.7% year to date, while Applied Materials shares have risen by 57.6% [17] - On the valuation front, Applied Materials has a forward P/E of 26.18, slightly below NVIDIA's 26.54 [18] - Overall, NVIDIA is viewed as a better investment option due to stronger growth momentum and competitive advantages in AI computing [20]

California-based Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) is seeing its Growth metrics surge in Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings, amid the unrelenting growth in AI capex spending, which is showing no signs of slowing down.The Growth score in Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings is calculated based on a company’s historic growth profile, which includes the pace of earnings and revenue growth, with equal importance given to both short and long-term trends, before being ranked as a percentile against all other stocks.A sp ...

Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) is one of the stocks Jim Cramer was bullish on due to share buyback activity. During the episode, Cramer said it is one of his “old favorites.” He said: “That’s why I went through that list of 51 companies to pick out 10 that are worth recommending to you. Now, first up is one of my old favorites is Applied Materials. It’s a semiconductor capital equipment maker, which has reduced its share count by 31% since the end of 2015. Now, this stock had a strong year. It’s up ...

17 December 2025 U.S. Semiconductors and Semiconductor Capital Equipment Bernstein Semi Cycle Tearsheet: Why overcomplicate it? Stacy A. Rasgon, Ph.D. +1 213 559 5917 stacy.rasgon@bernsteinsg.com Alrick Shaw +1 917 344 8454 alrick.shaw@bernsteinsg.com Arpad von Nemes +1 917 344 8461 arpad.vonnemes@bernsteinsg.com How quickly narratives shift…The steam has come out of the AI trade in recent months as investors more fully wonder when the music might stop (or if we're there already). Memory has come off of one ...

Core Opinion - The opinion on Applied Materials (AMAT) has shifted from a hold rating to a buy rating, indicating a more favorable outlook for the company [1]. Company Summary - Applied Materials is recognized for its significant role in the technology sector, particularly in semiconductor manufacturing [1]. - The analyst has a background in engineering and a strong interest in tech stocks, which may influence the positive assessment of Applied Materials [1].

Core Viewpoint - The opinion on Applied Materials (AMAT) has shifted from a hold rating to a buy rating, indicating a positive outlook for the company's stock performance [1]. Company Summary - Applied Materials is recognized for its significant role in the technology sector, particularly in semiconductor manufacturing equipment [1]. - The analyst has a background in engineering, which influences the focus on tech stocks, suggesting a strong understanding of the industry dynamics [1]. Investment Perspective - The upgrade to a buy rating reflects confidence in Applied Materials' future performance and potential for growth in the tech market [1].

Group 1 - China's Hainan Free Trade Port officially launched its zero-tariff operation on December 18, expanding the range of zero-tariff goods to over 6,600 items, enhancing consumer experience for travel and shopping [2] - The Ministry of Commerce has reintroduced export license management for steel for the first time in 16 years to strengthen monitoring and analysis of steel product exports [2] - A giant underwater gold mine has been discovered in Shandong Province, with proven gold reserves of over 3,900 tons, accounting for approximately 26% of the national total [2] Group 2 - The State Administration for Market Regulation emphasizes the need to strengthen the construction of a unified national market and promote fair competition [3] - The U.S. has initiated a military sale to Taiwan valued at approximately $11 billion, marking one of the largest military sales [3] - The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission has issued guidelines for holding central enterprises accountable for investment violations, effective from January 1, 2026 [3] Group 3 - The China Securities Regulatory Commission is advancing the "14th Five-Year" plan for the capital market, focusing on comprehensive reforms and high-level opening-up [4] - A-share indices showed divergence, with the Shanghai Composite Index closing up 0.16% while the Shenzhen Component Index and ChiNext Index fell by 1.29% and 2.17%, respectively [4] - The Hong Kong stock market is undergoing a narrow consolidation, with the Hang Seng Index closing up 0.12% [4] Group 4 - Morgan Stanley predicts that chip stocks will remain one of the best-performing sectors in the U.S. stock market next year, highlighting Nvidia, Broadcom, and Astera Labs as top picks [5] - Insurance asset management institutions have registered 83 asset-backed plans this year, totaling approximately 344.56 billion yuan [5] - Domestic GPU companies, Moore Threads and Muxi Co., have recently listed on the STAR Market, attracting significant investment from insurance funds [5] Group 5 - A wave of IPOs is expected in the Hong Kong capital market, with several companies starting public offerings on December 18 [6] - The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced that the photovoltaic industry will enter a critical phase in 2026, focusing on capacity regulation [8] Group 6 - The State Council has issued guidelines to strengthen electronic cigarette regulation and combat illegal tobacco-related activities [9] - The upcoming New Year's holiday is projected to significantly boost the domestic tourism market, with flight bookings increasing by approximately 46% year-on-year [9] - The total scale of bank wealth management products reached a historical high of about 34 trillion yuan by the end of November [9] Group 7 - The People's Bank of China will issue 40 billion yuan in central bank bills in Hong Kong on December 22, with a maturity of six months [18] - The U.S. Treasury Department reported an increase in Japan's holdings of U.S. Treasury securities to $1.2 trillion in October [18]

Applied Materials has been one of the semiconductor industry's quietest success stories. ...

Mizuho raised the firm’s price target on Applied Materials (AMAT) to $245 from $205 and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares. The firm sees upside to 2026 wafter fab equipment estimate. The improving WFE outlook is positive for the company, the analyst tells investors in a research note. However, Mizuho sees challenges for Applied Materials given its China share loss and Intel exposure. Claim 50% Off TipRanks Premium and Invest with Confidence Unlock hedge-fund level data and powerful investing tools d ...