Why Applied Materials (AMAT) Outpaced the Stock Market Today

Group 1: Company Performance - Applied Materials (AMAT) shares increased by 2.48% to $190.29, outperforming the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.02% [1] - Over the last month, AMAT's shares rose by 1.35%, lagging behind the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 6.31% and the S&P 500's gain of 4.93% [1] Group 2: Earnings Projections - The upcoming earnings report for Applied Materials is scheduled for August 14, 2025, with projected earnings per share (EPS) of $2.34, reflecting a 10.38% increase year-over-year [2] - Revenue is expected to reach $7.2 billion, indicating a 6.23% increase compared to the same quarter last year [2] Group 3: Full Year Estimates - For the full year, Zacks Consensus Estimates project earnings of $9.47 per share and revenue of $28.82 billion, representing increases of 9.48% and 6.04% respectively from the prior year [3] Group 4: Analyst Estimates and Stock Performance - Recent changes to analyst estimates for Applied Materials are linked to short-term business dynamics, with positive revisions indicating optimism about the business outlook [3][4] - The Zacks Rank system, which incorporates estimate changes, provides actionable ratings, with AMAT currently holding a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy) [5] Group 5: Valuation Metrics - Applied Materials has a Forward P/E ratio of 19.6, which is a discount compared to the industry average of 26.57 [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 2.07, while the Electronics - Semiconductors industry average PEG ratio is 1.61 [6] Group 6: Industry Ranking - The Electronics - Semiconductors industry, part of the Computer and Technology sector, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 65, placing it in the top 27% of over 250 industries [7] - Research indicates that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]