Rep. John McGuire Buys Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) Stock

Representative John McGuire (Republican-Virginia) recently bought shares of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT). In a filing disclosed on August 10th, the Representative disclosed that they had bought between $1,001 and $15,000 in Applied Materials stock on July 15th. The trade occurred in the Representative’s “MERRILL LYNCH SEP IRA” account.

Representative John McGuire also recently made the following trade(s):

• Sold $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW) on 7/31/2026.
• Sold $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) on 7/14/2026.
• Sold $1,001 – $15,000 in shares of BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) on 7/10/2026.

Applied Materials Stock Performance

AMAT opened at $525.61 on Wednesday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $561.46 and its 200-day moving average price is $441.34. The company has a market cap of $417.31 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.35, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.32 and a beta of 1.61. The company has a quick ratio of 1.80, a current ratio of 2.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. Applied Materials, Inc. has a 52-week low of $154.46 and a 52-week high of $739.67.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 14th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $2.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.68 by $0.18. Applied Materials had a net margin of 29.31% and a return on equity of 36.97%. The business had revenue of $7.91 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.68 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $2.39 EPS. Applied Materials’s revenue for the quarter was up 11.4% compared to the same quarter last year. Applied Materials has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 3.160-3.560 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Applied Materials, Inc. will post 12.17 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Applied Materials Dividend Announcement

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, September 10th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 20th will be issued a dividend of $0.53 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, August 20th. This represents a $2.12 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.4%. Applied Materials’s dividend payout ratio is 19.91%.

Applied Materials News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Applied Materials this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AI and semiconductor demand remain key bullish catalysts. Jim Cramer highlighted Applied Materials alongside Lam Research and KLA as beneficiaries of data-center memory bottlenecks and expected demand for chipmaking equipment. The company’s broad technology portfolio and exposure to AI infrastructure continue to support the long-term growth case. Jim Cramer semiconductor equipment analysis
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst earnings expectations have improved. A report indicated that an analyst raised the fiscal 2027 EPS forecast, while pre-earnings estimates call for approximately $9 billion in quarterly revenue and $3.39 in EPS. These expectations imply continued year-over-year growth and could support the shares if management delivers or raises guidance. Applied Materials EPS forecast update
• Positive Sentiment: Applied Materials expanded its chip-innovation ecosystem. UC Berkeley will join the company’s EPIC Center, giving researchers access to industry-scale equipment and process-integration capabilities. The collaboration could accelerate semiconductor research and commercialization, although the financial benefit is longer term. UC Berkeley joins Applied Materials EPIC Center
• Neutral Sentiment: Options markets are anticipating a significant earnings-related move. Traders expect substantial volatility around Thursday’s results, as investors assess revenue, EPS, margins, orders and fiscal 2026 guidance. Applied Materials expected earnings move
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation and competitive risks are limiting enthusiasm. William Blair initiated coverage with a Market Perform rating, citing strong AI-driven fundamentals but arguing that valuation and competition cap upside. With a trailing P/E near 49, the stock may require an earnings beat and constructive outlook to regain momentum. William Blair Applied Materials rating

Insider Buying and Selling at Applied Materials

In other Applied Materials news, Director Thomas J. Iannotti sold 9,250 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $599.77, for a total transaction of $5,547,872.50. Following the sale, the director directly owned 40,559 shares in the company, valued at approximately $24,326,071.43. The trade was a 18.57% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Gary E. Dickerson sold 20,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $735.22, for a total transaction of $14,704,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 1,599,843 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,176,236,570.46. This trade represents a 1.23% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 278,088 shares of company stock valued at $169,654,805. 0.30% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several analysts have weighed in on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on Applied Materials from $450.00 to $550.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Raymond James Financial set a $650.00 target price on Applied Materials in a report on Wednesday, June 10th. TD Cowen upped their target price on Applied Materials from $525.00 to $700.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. Wolfe Research increased their price target on shares of Applied Materials from $500.00 to $550.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC raised their price target on shares of Applied Materials from $530.00 to $740.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-six have given a Buy rating and eight have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Applied Materials currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $603.23.

Institutional Trading of Applied Materials

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Evolve Private Wealth LLC increased its position in Applied Materials by 59.0% in the 1st quarter. Evolve Private Wealth LLC now owns 2,875 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $983,000 after acquiring an additional 1,067 shares during the period. WealthPlan Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Applied Materials during the 4th quarter worth $1,082,000. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC boosted its position in Applied Materials by 183.7% during the 4th quarter. Ameritas Advisory Services LLC now owns 3,073 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock worth $790,000 after acquiring an additional 1,990 shares during the period. Assetmark Inc. grew its stake in shares of Applied Materials by 9.3% in the fourth quarter. Assetmark Inc. now owns 376,513 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock worth $96,760,000 after purchasing an additional 32,136 shares in the last quarter. Finally, CloudAlpha Capital Management Limited Hong Kong grew its stake in shares of Applied Materials by 204.8% in the fourth quarter. CloudAlpha Capital Management Limited Hong Kong now owns 140,773 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock worth $36,177,000 after purchasing an additional 94,587 shares in the last quarter. 80.56% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Representative McGuire

John McGuire (Republican Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing Virginia’s 5th Congressional District. He assumed office on January 3, 2025. His current term ends on January 3, 2027.

McGuire (Republican Party) is running for re-election to the U.S. House to represent Virginia’s 5th Congressional District. He declared candidacy for the 2026 election.

John McGuire was born in Richmond, Virginia. McGuire graduated from Henrico High School. He served as a U.S. Navy Seal from 1988 to 1998. His professional experience includes founding SEAL Team Physical Training Inc.

About Applied Materials

Applied Materials, Inc is a U.S.-based supplier of equipment, services and software used to manufacture semiconductor chips, flat panel displays and other advanced materials. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, the company designs and sells capital equipment and related technologies that enable production of integrated circuits, display panels and materials used across the electronics supply chain.

Applied Materials’ offerings include process equipment and factory software that support critical steps in device fabrication, such as deposition, etch, implantation, inspection and metrology, as well as systems for packaging and advanced heterogeneous integration.