Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) Price Target Raised to $432.00

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) had its price target raised by Morgan Stanley from $420.00 to $432.00 in a research report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an “overweight” rating on the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s price objective indicates a potential upside of 10.24% from the company’s current price.

Other research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $450.00 price objective on shares of Applied Materials in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Weiss Ratings raised Applied Materials from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Applied Materials from $400.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, February 13th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of Applied Materials from $350.00 to $435.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, February 13th. Finally, DZ Bank raised shares of Applied Materials to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, February 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have given a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Applied Materials presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $363.46.

Applied Materials Trading Up 3.7%

Shares of AMAT traded up $13.96 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $391.89. 2,068,733 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,101,293. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $309.60 and its 200 day moving average price is $246.29. The company has a current ratio of 2.71, a quick ratio of 1.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30. The firm has a market cap of $311.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.12, a PEG ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 1.70. Applied Materials has a 12-month low of $123.74 and a 12-month high of $394.40.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 12th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $2.38 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.21 by $0.17. The company had revenue of $7.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.88 billion. Applied Materials had a net margin of 27.78% and a return on equity of 37.52%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 2.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $2.38 EPS. Applied Materials has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.440-2.840 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Applied Materials will post 9.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Applied Materials

In other news, Director Judy Bruner sold 3,969 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $377.02, for a total transaction of $1,496,392.38. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 28,589 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,778,624.78. This represents a 12.19% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Brice Hill sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $361.21, for a total transaction of $1,806,050.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 138,565 shares in the company, valued at $50,051,063.65. This represents a 3.48% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 10,112 shares of company stock worth $3,660,532. Insiders own 0.30% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Applied Materials in the 4th quarter worth $25,000. Marquette Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Applied Materials by 150.0% in the 3rd quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 125 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 75 shares in the last quarter. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of Applied Materials during the third quarter valued at about $26,000. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC bought a new stake in Applied Materials in the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Finally, Highline Wealth Partners LLC boosted its position in shares of Applied Materials by 48.7% during the 4th quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 38 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.56% of the company’s stock.

Applied Materials News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q1 results and 2nm product push — Applied reported revenue and EPS above expectations, raised Q2 outlook and highlighted new transistor/materials engineering systems for 2nm-and-beyond, plus a US$252.5M export deal that supports near-term revenue and bookings. Applied Materials (AMAT) Is Up 5.3% After Strong Q1, Export Deal And 2nm Push – Has The Bull Case Changed?
• Positive Sentiment: Structural AI/HBM demand & supply-chain positioning — Coverage highlights AMAT’s central role in deposition/film tools and why rising HBM/AI chip demand should sustain equipment bookings and margins over the medium term. This bolsters the bull case beyond a single earnings print. The Supply Chain Quietly Powering the AI Boom—And 4 Ways to Play It
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and higher targets — Multiple brokerages have raised price targets and ratings after stronger results and AI exposure, supporting upward re-rating and institutional interest. Is Applied Materials Stock Outperforming the S&P 500?
• Neutral Sentiment: Market tailwind — A broad risk-on session (S&P and Nasdaq gains) and easing AI disruption fears lifted semiconductor equipment names, amplifying AMAT’s earnings-driven rally. Stocks Settle Higher as AI Disruption Fears Ease
• Neutral Sentiment: Supplier awards — Applied recognized top suppliers for quality, delivery and sustainability; positive for operations and PR but unlikely to move near-term revenue materially. Applied Materials Awards Suppliers for Outstanding Performance
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling by senior executives/directors — Recent Form 4 filings show CAO Adam Sanders and Director Judy Bruner sold meaningful blocks (~534 and 3,969 shares respectively), which can weigh on near-term sentiment even if sales are routine diversification. CAO Adam Sanders Form 4 Director Judy Bruner Form 4

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.