The Wall Street rally has continued in April with the S&P 500 trading near recently-set record highs. The stronger-than-expected jobs report has boosted investor optimism as the U.S. economy remains resilient despite higher rates. In a bull market, Wall Street analysts tend to often raise ratings on stocks as they expect the outperformance to continue in the near term. In this blog post, we look at 3 stocks upgraded by analysts recently.Analyst upgrades are a reflection of a positive sentiment among investo ...

All eyes are on the upcoming Consumer Price Index (CPI) report that’s likely to present a complex view of the current inflationary landscape. Though analysts expect an overall increase in inflation due to rising gas prices, they expect core inflation to slow down, alerting investors and policymakers. This scenario highlights the importance of wagering on inflation-proof that have historically been resilient against inflationary pressures. As the Federal Reserve weighs its options on adjusting interest rates ...

Core Viewpoint - Applied Materials (AMAT) has shown a positive stock performance recently, outperforming the S&P 500 and the semiconductor equipment industry, raising questions about its future direction [1] Earnings Estimate Revisions - The change in earnings estimates is crucial for determining the fair value of a stock, with upward revisions typically leading to increased investor interest and stock price [2] - For the current quarter, Applied Materials is expected to report earnings of $1.96 per share, reflecting a -2% change year-over-year [3] - The consensus earnings estimate for the current fiscal year is $8.03, indicating a -0.3% change from the previous year, while the next fiscal year is projected at $9.28, showing a +15.5% increase [3] Valuation - The Zacks Rank for Applied Materials is 2 (Buy), indicating a favorable outlook based on earnings estimate revisions [4] - The Zacks Value Style Score grades Applied Materials as D, suggesting it is trading at a premium compared to its peers [9] Revenue Growth - The consensus sales estimate for the current quarter is $6.51 billion, indicating a -1.7% year-over-year change, while estimates for the current and next fiscal years are $26.49 billion (-0.1%) and $29.15 billion (+10%), respectively [5] Last Reported Results and Surprise History - In the last reported quarter, Applied Materials achieved revenues of $6.71 billion, a -0.5% change year-over-year, and an EPS of $2.13, compared to $2.03 a year ago [6] - The company has consistently beaten consensus EPS and revenue estimates over the past four quarters [7]

Applied Materials holds a substantial market share in the HBM market, which is crucial for AI chips.In today's video, I discuss recent updates impacting Applied Materials (AMAT 0.60%). Check out the short video to learn more, consider subscribing, and click the special offer link below.*Stock prices used were the after-market prices of April 2, 2024. The video was published on April 3, 2024. ...

In the latest trading session, Applied Materials (AMAT) closed at $206.11, marking a -1.24% move from the previous day. This move lagged the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.72%. At the same time, the Dow lost 1%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.95%.Coming into today, shares of the maker of chipmaking equipment had lost 0.38% in the past month. In that same time, the Computer and Technology sector gained 2.34%, while the S&P 500 gained 2.16%.The investment community will be paying close attention to the earnings ...

The primary drivers of wafer fab equipment (WFE) demand are the strength of semiconductor demand and the existing capacity level. Other factors, such as constraints on selling semiconductors to China, the possibility of a recession, interest rates that have an effect on consumer spending, or the diversion of consumer funds to leisure and/or travel activity affect one or both of the primary factors. Technology transitions constitute an additional driver for the industry because they require fresh equipment f ...

The most recent trading session ended with Applied Materials (AMAT) standing at $210.25, reflecting a -0.26% shift from the previouse trading day's closing. The stock's change was less than the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.14%. At the same time, the Dow lost 0.77%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.17%.Coming into today, shares of the maker of chipmaking equipment had gained 5.54% in the past month. In that same time, the Computer and Technology sector gained 6.81%, while the S&P 500 gained 5.34%.Investors wi ...

Shares of semiconductor-equipment stocks Lam Research (LRCX 3.53%) and Applied Materials (AMAT 2.80%), along with memory-interface chipset provider Rambus (RMBS 6.94%), were on the rise Thursday. The stocks had appreciated 3.7%, 3.2%, and 7.2%, respectively, as of 2:30 p.m. ET.All three stocks were rising along with most of the semiconductor sector in the wake of memory giant Micron's (MU 14.13%) blowout earnings report last night. As Lam and Applied are both equipment suppliers to the memory industry, and ...

Investing in artificial intelligence (AI) stocks has become a hot trend lately. The potential for substantial gains in this sector has caught the attention of both investors and consumers alike. However, amidst the flurry of excitement, long-term investors seek companies with sustainable business models capable of driving AI-driven profits for years to come. One such company leading the charge in revolutionizing industries through AI is ASML Holding.ASML Holding (NASDAQ: ASML)Often referred to as the most i ...

Semiconductor giant Applied Materials (AMAT -1.05%) recently announced a whopping 25% boost to its quarterly dividend, taking its total to $0.40 per share, up from $0.32 previously. That incredibly strong increase came on the heels of a 23% increase in 2023 and is part of the company's previously announced plan to double its payout over the next few years.A monster dividend increase like that is a great reward to long-term shareholders, handing them a tangible cash return for the risks they've taken by hold ...