Applied Materials (AMAT): “The Arms Dealer of the Semiconductor Revolution.”

Core Insights - Alpha Wealth Insiders Fund reported a return of 4.96% in September 2025, with year-to-date returns reaching 21.37%, outperforming the S&P 500's September return of 3.65% and year-to-date return of 14.83% [1] Company Overview - Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) is a leading company in semiconductor equipment and materials engineering, providing essential machinery and processes for chip fabrication, display technology, and advanced packaging [3] - As of December 31, 2025, Applied Materials' stock closed at $256.99 per share, with a market capitalization of $204.729 billion [2] Performance Metrics - The one-month return for Applied Materials was -4.729%, while the stock gained 56.83% over the last 52 weeks [2] - The number of hedge fund portfolios holding Applied Materials increased to 89 by the end of Q3 2025, up from 81 in the previous quarter [4] Market Context - The company faces challenges due to heavy exposure to China and new U.S. export restrictions; however, there is a significant push to relocate chip manufacturing investments back to the U.S. [3]