Core Viewpoint - Applied Materials has shown strong institutional interest, with several investors increasing their stakes, indicating confidence in the company's future performance [1][5]. Institutional Investment - State Street Corp increased its position by 1.0%, owning 38,920,984 shares valued at $7.13 billion after acquiring 391,540 shares [1] - Geode Capital Management LLC raised its holdings by 2.0%, now owning 21,026,363 shares worth $3.84 billion after purchasing 407,282 shares [1] - Alliancebernstein L.P. boosted its position by 72.5%, owning 13,564,120 shares valued at $2.48 billion after acquiring 5,700,349 shares [1] - Ameriprise Financial Inc. increased its stake by 13.7%, now holding 8,936,363 shares valued at $1.64 billion after purchasing 1,075,525 shares [1] - Norges Bank acquired a new stake worth $1.60 billion [1] - Institutional investors and hedge funds own 80.56% of the stock [1]. Price Performance - Shares opened at $375.38, with a market cap of $297.95 billion and a P/E ratio of 38.42 [2] - The 50-day simple moving average is $304.98, and the 200-day simple moving average is $243.13 [2] - The stock has a twelve-month low of $123.74 and a high of $377.11 [2] - The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 1.94, and a current ratio of 2.71 [2]. Earnings and Guidance - The company reported $2.38 EPS for the last quarter, exceeding the consensus estimate of $2.21 by $0.17 [3] - Revenue for the quarter was $7.01 billion, surpassing analyst estimates of $6.88 billion [3] - The net margin was 27.78%, and return on equity was 37.52% [3] - Quarterly revenue decreased by 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year [3] - Guidance for Q2 2026 is set at 2.440-2.840 EPS, with analysts expecting 9.38 EPS for the current fiscal year [3]. Dividend Announcement - A quarterly dividend of $0.46 per share will be paid on March 12, with an annualized dividend of $1.84 and a yield of 0.5% [4] - The ex-dividend date is February 19, and the dividend payout ratio is 18.83% [4]. Analyst Ratings and Price Targets - Needham & Company raised the target price from $390.00 to $440.00, maintaining a "buy" rating [5] - Barclays increased their price target from $360.00 to $450.00, giving an "overweight" rating [5] - Morgan Stanley set a price objective of $420.00 [5] - Mizuho raised their target from $370.00 to $410.00 with an "outperform" rating [5] - TD Cowen increased their target from $315.00 to $450.00, maintaining a "buy" rating [5] - Consensus rating is "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $363.04 [5]. Insider Activity - SVP Teri A. Little sold 4,000 shares at an average price of $238.24, totaling $952,960, reducing ownership by 4.53% [8] - CAO Adam Sanders sold 609 shares at an average price of $255.53, totaling $155,617.77, reducing ownership by 12.13% [8] - Insiders sold a total of 9,609 shares valued at $2.91 million in the last 90 days, with corporate insiders owning 0.30% of the stock [8].

Company Overview - ASML Holding is a Dutch company essential for the development of artificial intelligence and high-performance semiconductors, yet it remains underappreciated in the market [2] - The company has seen its stock price increase by 88% since the beginning of 2024, although this is lower than other popular stocks like Palantir Technologies and Nvidia [2] Stock Performance - ASML is currently the third-best performer in the Nasdaq-100 for 2026, with gains exceeding 33% [3] - The company reported full-year sales in 2025 of $32.66 billion, reflecting a 15% increase from the previous year, and net income rose to $9.6 billion, a 26.9% increase from 2024 [7] Market Dynamics - Major hyperscalers such as Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Alphabet, and Amazon have announced plans for up to $625 billion in capital expenditures to enhance their AI capabilities, indicating a significant opportunity in AI infrastructure [4] - The demand for ASML's products is increasing due to the growing needs of advanced logic and DRAM customers as data centers and AI-related infrastructure expand [8] Technology Leadership - ASML is the only company that has mastered advanced extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology for chip manufacturing, which allows for more compact and powerful semiconductor designs compared to traditional deep ultraviolet (DUV) technology [6][5]

Company Overview - Tower Semiconductor is an independent foundry specializing in analog-intensive mixed-signal semiconductor manufacturing and design services, serving a wide range of global industries [6][7] - The company operates with a market capitalization of $15.02 billion and reported revenue of $1.51 billion with a net income of $195.48 million for the trailing twelve months (TTM) [4] Recent Developments - On February 11, Turiya Advisors Asia Ltd disclosed a new position in Tower Semiconductor, acquiring 1,472,045 shares valued at approximately $172.85 million [2][3] - This new position represents 26.47% of Turiya Advisors Asia Ltd's reported 13F assets under management [3] Stock Performance - As of February 11, shares of Tower Semiconductor were priced at $134.44, reflecting a significant increase of 193.7% over the past year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of roughly 14% during the same period [3]

Core Insights - GlobalFoundries Inc. is a significant player in the semiconductor industry, recognized for its advanced manufacturing capabilities and a diverse range of semiconductor solutions [2] - Goldman Sachs maintains a Neutral rating for GlobalFoundries, raising its price target from $40 to $46, indicating a cautious yet optimistic outlook [3][7] Financial Performance - In Q4 2025, GlobalFoundries reported earnings of $0.55 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.47 by 16.4% [4][7] - The company achieved Q4 2025 revenue of $1.83 billion, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 1.56%, consistent with the same quarter the previous year [5] - For the full year 2025, GlobalFoundries reported revenue of $6.791 billion and a net income of $888 million, ending the quarter with $4 billion in cash and marketable securities [6][7] Market Position - The stock price of GlobalFoundries is currently $48.74, reflecting a 16.32% increase over the past year, with a market capitalization of approximately $27.08 billion [6][7] - The company has consistently outperformed consensus EPS estimates over the past four quarters, demonstrating strong financial performance [4]

Core Viewpoint - ACM Research, Inc. will release its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2025 on February 26, 2026, before the U.S. market opens, followed by a conference call to discuss the results [1]. Group 1: Earnings Call Details - The earnings call is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time on February 26, 2026 [2]. - Participants must complete an online registration process to join the conference call via telephone, which aims to reduce delays due to operator congestion [2]. - A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available on ACM's website [3]. Group 2: Company Overview - ACM develops, manufactures, and sells semiconductor process equipment, including cleaning, electroplating, and wafer-level packaging tools [4]. - The company focuses on delivering customized, high-performance, and cost-effective process solutions to improve productivity and product yield for semiconductor manufacturers [4].

Core Viewpoint - ASM International N.V. is set to report its fourth quarter 2025 financial results on March 3, 2026, and will host a conference call on March 4, 2026 [1]. Company Overview - ASM International N.V. is headquartered in Almere, the Netherlands, and specializes in designing and manufacturing equipment and process solutions for semiconductor device production [3]. - The company operates facilities in the United States, Europe, and Asia, and its common stock is traded on the Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange under the symbol ASM [3].

Group 1 - Intel Corporation's shares have increased by 137% over the past year and are up by 19.9% year-to-date in 2026, driven by announcements of new AI processors utilizing 18A chip manufacturing technology [2] - Melius Research upgraded Intel's shares from Hold to Buy, maintaining a price target of $50, based on the potential interest from Apple and NVIDIA in Intel's next-generation 14A chip technology [2] - Intel is focusing on its core chip business while expanding foundry operations, restructuring by spinning off non-core units, and pursuing government-backed initiatives to enhance U.S. semiconductor leadership [3] Group 2 - The company is recognized as a global leader in semiconductor design and manufacturing, producing CPUs, GPUs, and AI accelerators for various applications [3] - Intel's CEO, Lip-Bu Tan, is noted for effectively steering the company towards its core business and enhancing competitiveness against rivals like NVIDIA, AMD, and TSMC [3] - Jim Cramer highlighted Intel's connections with the U.S. government, suggesting that the President's significant position in the stock may positively influence its prospects [2]

Group 1 - The United States is poised to enter a multi-year industrial capital expenditure (capex) boom driven by reshoring, AI data center construction, domestic semiconductor manufacturing, and energy projects [1] - High Yield Investor is celebrating its fifth anniversary by offering a 30-day money-back guarantee and releasing its Top Picks for 2026 [1] - The investment group is led by Samuel Smith, who has extensive experience in dividend stock research and engineering, and collaborates with Jussi Askola and Paul R. Drake to balance safety, growth, yield, and value [1] Group 2 - High Yield Investor provides real-money core, retirement, and international portfolios, along with regular trade alerts, educational content, and an active chat room for investors [1]

Company Overview - Tower Semiconductor is a leading pure-play foundry specializing in analog and mixed-signal semiconductor manufacturing, with a global workforce of over 5,600 employees [6] - The company leverages advanced process technologies and a flexible manufacturing model to meet specialized customer requirements in high-growth, high-reliability end markets [6] - Tower Semiconductor's revenue for the trailing twelve months (TTM) is $1.51 billion, with a net income of $195.48 million [4] Recent Developments - Hood River Capital Management established a new position in Tower Semiconductor, acquiring 1.51 million shares valued at approximately $109.22 million as of September 30, representing 1.29% of the fund's $8.47 billion in reportable U.S. equity assets [2][3] - As of the latest report, shares of Tower Semiconductor were priced at $118.08, reflecting a 127% increase over the past year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500's 17% gain during the same period [3] Financial Performance - Tower Semiconductor reported revenue of $396 million in the third quarter, marking a 6% sequential increase, while net income rose to $54 million, or $0.48 per share [7] - The company is projecting a record revenue of $440 million for the fourth quarter, indicating strong momentum in its financial performance [9] Strategic Focus - Tower Semiconductor is investing an additional $300 million to expand its SiPho and SiGe capacity, targeting optical transceivers and data center demand, which are expected to have structurally higher margins and long-duration growth drivers [9] - The company operates as an independent foundry, generating revenue through manufacturing and customizing semiconductor wafers for integrated device manufacturers and fabless companies on a contract basis [8]

Core Viewpoint - Intel's turnaround and manufacturing ambitions face significant challenges following Nvidia's decision to halt its trial of the 18A manufacturing technology, which is critical for Intel's recovery strategy [1][2] Group 1: Manufacturing Technology and Partnerships - Nvidia's withdrawal from the 18A manufacturing technology trial undermines Intel's recovery prospects, as this 2 nm chip technology was expected to enhance power efficiency and chip density [1] - The initial optimism surrounding Nvidia's $5 billion investment in Intel has diminished, revealing that the partnership may have been primarily financial without guarantees of technological collaboration [2] Group 2: Financial Performance and Valuation - Intel's stock has decreased nearly 18% since reaching a 52-week high of $44.01 in early December, although it has shown a year-to-date performance of 87%, outperforming the PHLX Semiconductor Index's 44.7% [5] - Despite the recent stock decline, Intel's valuation appears high, trading at a non-GAAP forward P/E of 106.48x, significantly above its 5-year average of 48.17x, indicating potential overvaluation [6] - The company's price-to-book value ratio is comparable to its 5-year average of 1.63x but remains below the sector average, suggesting that the stock is trading at a discount relative to peers [6]