NASDAQ:AMAT

Applied Materials Slips 0.8% After Hours Despite Record Q4 Results and Strong FY2027 Outlook

Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) shares fell about 0.8% in after-hours trading despite reporting record fiscal fourth-quarter revenue and earnings, strong margin expansion and a solid outlook for the first quarter of fiscal 2027.

Fourth-quarter revenue jumped 53% year over year to a record $10.41 billion. GAAP EPS increased 43% to $3.40, while non-GAAP EPS surged 92% to a record $4.16. Non-GAAP operating income reached $3.68 billion, representing a 35.3% margin.

Gross profitability also improved significantly. GAAP gross margin rose 240 basis points to 50.4%, while non-GAAP gross margin increased 250 basis points to 50.6%.

For the full fiscal year, Applied Materials generated record revenue of $34.45 billion, up 21%, with record GAAP EPS of $12.62 and record non-GAAP EPS of $12.89. Annual cash flow from operations reached a record $8.87 billion.

Management highlighted accelerating AI-related semiconductor demand and said the Semiconductor Systems business is on track to grow more than 40% in calendar 2026. Applied also continued investing in next-generation chipmaking technologies through its EPIC Center and new partnerships with Intel, KIOXIA, Besi and UCLA.

For fiscal Q1 2027, Applied expects revenue of about $11.1 billion, plus or minus $500 million, and non-GAAP EPS of $4.35, plus or minus $0.20, implying another sequential step higher from Q4.

The 0.8% after-hours decline appears to reflect elevated expectations and possible profit-taking rather than weakness in the report. Applied delivered record revenue, sharply higher earnings and strong guidance, but after a major AI-driven semiconductor equipment rally, investors may have been looking for an even larger upside surprise.
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Applied Materials and Intel Expand Collaboration to Accelerate AI Chip Manufacturing

Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) and Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) announced an expanded collaboration aimed at accelerating development of next-generation semiconductor technologies for AI computing.

The companies will work together at Applied Materials’ new EPIC Center in Silicon Valley and Intel’s R&D campus in Hillsboro, Oregon, focusing on advanced transistors, interconnects and packaging technologies. The goal is to shorten development cycles and speed the transition of new semiconductor innovations from research into high-volume manufacturing.

The collaboration includes work on next-generation materials, process technologies and device architectures for advanced logic nodes, as well as interconnect scaling and Foveros-based 3D packaging. These technologies are designed to improve interconnect density, power delivery and thermal performance for high-performance AI systems.

Applied Materials said the partnership builds on decades of cooperation with Intel and is intended to address increasingly complex chipmaking challenges as AI workloads demand greater performance and efficiency.

Intel, meanwhile, said the collaboration will support its foundry ambitions by helping accelerate R&D and manufacturing innovation for advanced AI infrastructure.

Applied’s EPIC Center is expected to become operational in 2026 and is designed to give chipmakers earlier access to new equipment and process technologies, with the aim of bringing semiconductor breakthroughs to market faster.
Applied Materials and Besi Expand AI Packaging Partnership

Applied Materials and BE Semiconductor Industries expanded their strategic partnership to accelerate development of next-generation advanced packaging technologies for AI systems.

Besi will join Applied Materials’ EPIC Center as an Innovation Partner, extending a collaboration that began in 2020 with the companies’ Hybrid Bonding Center of Excellence in Singapore. The broader partnership will focus on 3D IC scaling, logic and memory integration, and photonics technologies used in increasingly complex AI infrastructure.

The companies plan to expand beyond die-to-wafer hybrid bonding into new hybrid-bonding platforms, thermo-compression bonding, die-on-wafer, die-on-die and die-on-panel architectures. They will also work on photonics-enabled interconnect technologies supporting co-packaged optics and higher-bandwidth AI systems.

Applied Materials said the collaboration is intended to give semiconductor customers earlier access to co-optimized process and assembly technologies across the advanced packaging flow.

The work will take place partly at Applied’s new EPIC Center in Silicon Valley, where capital investment is expected to scale to approximately $5 billion as customer projects begin.

The expanded partnership reflects the growing importance of advanced packaging as AI chips require denser interconnects, higher memory bandwidth and more sophisticated integration between logic, memory and optical components.
Applied Materials and KIOXIA Partner to Advance Next-Generation AI Memory Technology

Applied Materials and KIOXIA have formed a new R&D partnership at Applied’s EPIC Center in Silicon Valley to develop next-generation memory technologies for AI infrastructure.

The collaboration will focus on advanced memory-cell structures, multi-chip stacking, advanced packaging and new materials engineering approaches designed to improve memory density, bandwidth and energy efficiency.

KIOXIA will join Applied Materials’ expanding EPIC Center ecosystem, which includes chipmakers, designers, equipment partners and universities. The companies plan to work side by side on technologies that can move more quickly from early-stage development into high-volume manufacturing.

A key focus will be stacked memory architectures, where higher levels of integration are needed to improve performance while managing space, cost and manufacturing complexity. The companies will also work on materials and process innovations intended to support commercial-scale production.

Applied Materials said the partnership should give KIOXIA earlier access to its R&D portfolio while allowing both companies to shorten learning cycles and accelerate commercialization of new memory technologies.

The collaboration also strengthens the strategic role of Applied’s EPIC Center, a planned roughly $5 billion semiconductor equipment R&D facility designed to bring customers and technology partners into the development process earlier as AI drives increasingly demanding memory and packaging requirements.
Meta and Applied Materials Declare Quarterly Cash Dividends

Meta Platforms and Applied Materials announced quarterly cash dividends on September 10, continuing shareholder capital returns at two of the largest U.S. technology companies.

Meta’s board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.525 per share for both Class A and Class B common stock. The dividend will be paid on September 28 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 21.

Applied Materials separately declared a quarterly dividend of $0.53 per share, payable December 10 to shareholders of record on November 19. The semiconductor equipment company increased its quarterly dividend by 15% earlier this year, from $0.46 to $0.53, marking its ninth consecutive annual dividend increase.
Applied Materials (AMAT) Falls 5.2% Despite Record Q3 Results and Strong AI Demand

Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) shares are down 5.2% in premarket trading after the semiconductor equipment maker reported record fiscal third-quarter 2026 results and provided a strong fourth-quarter outlook.

Revenue reached a record $9.12 billion, up 25% year over year, while non-GAAP EPS climbed 41% to a record $3.50. GAAP EPS increased 43% to $3.17. Profitability also strengthened, with non-GAAP gross margin rising 150 basis points to 50.4% and operating margin expanding to 34.0%.

Why Is AMAT Stock Down?

The decline appears to reflect elevated expectations following the semiconductor equipment sector’s strong AI-driven performance rather than weakness in Applied Materials’ reported results.

Applied delivered record results and expects another substantial sequential increase in Q4, forecasting revenue of $10.25 billion, plus or minus $500 million, and non-GAAP EPS of $4.02, plus or minus $0.20. However, with investors already pricing in rapid growth from AI infrastructure, HBM, advanced packaging and leading-edge foundry spending, the strong outlook may not have provided enough upside relative to increasingly demanding expectations.

There may also be some concern around the scale of additional manufacturing investment required to meet projected demand through the end of the decade, particularly after the company recently expanded its manufacturing and R&D footprint in Singapore.

AI and HBM Demand Remain Major Growth Drivers

Underlying business momentum remains strong. Applied said it is raising its calendar 2026 Semiconductor Systems revenue expectations and expects to grow faster than the overall market this year, followed by another strong growth year in 2027.

Management highlighted particularly strong demand from DRAM, leading-edge foundry-logic and advanced packaging. These markets are benefiting directly from the AI infrastructure buildout, especially increasing production of high-bandwidth memory and advanced AI processors.

The company also generated record quarterly operating cash flow of $3.04 billion and returned $860 million to shareholders through buybacks and dividends.

Despite the 5.2% premarket decline, Applied Materials’ report points to accelerating semiconductor equipment demand and continued margin expansion. The negative stock reaction therefore appears more consistent with a high-expectations reset and profit-taking than deterioration in the company’s underlying AI-driven growth trajectory.
Applied Materials (AMAT) Stock Gains After Mizuho Raises Price Target to $650

Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) shares traded higher on Wednesday and 4% up in premarket today after Mizuho raised its price target on the semiconductor equipment maker to $650 from $570.50 while maintaining its positive rating on the stock.

Why Is AMAT Stock Rising Today?

The latest analyst action reflects growing confidence in Applied Materials' long-term growth prospects, particularly as artificial intelligence investments continue to fuel demand for advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

The new $650 price target represents roughly 14% upside from the previous target, reinforcing Wall Street's bullish outlook on the company despite recent volatility in the semiconductor sector.

AI Spending Continues to Support Applied Materials

Applied Materials remains one of the key beneficiaries of increasing capital expenditures by leading chip manufacturers. Demand for advanced wafer fabrication equipment continues to be supported by investments in AI processors, high-bandwidth memory (HBM), and advanced packaging technologies.

The company is also expected to benefit from continued expansion by major foundries and memory chip producers as they ramp production to meet growing AI-related demand.

What Investors Are Watching Next

Investors will continue to monitor semiconductor capital spending trends and upcoming earnings from major chipmakers for further signs of sustained demand. Any additional evidence of resilient AI infrastructure investment could provide further support for Applied Materials shares.

The latest price target increase from Mizuho adds to the constructive outlook for AMAT, helping lift the stock as investors remain optimistic about the long-term growth opportunities across the semiconductor equipment industry.
Applied Materials Stock Jumps 7% as Analysts Raise Price Targets

Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) shares climbed more than 7% on Monday after several Wall Street firms reaffirmed their bullish outlook on the semiconductor equipment maker, citing continued strength in AI-driven chip manufacturing demand.

Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated its Overweight rating and raised its price target to $850 from $650, implying significant upside from current levels. KeyCorp also maintained an Overweight rating while increasing its target to $750 from $550, reflecting growing confidence in the company's long-term growth prospects. Meanwhile, HC Wainwright initiated or set a price target of $850.

The wave of optimistic analyst actions reinforced investor confidence in Applied Materials' position as a key supplier to the semiconductor industry, particularly as advanced chipmakers continue expanding capacity to support artificial intelligence and high-performance computing applications.

The rally also comes amid a broader advance in technology stocks, with easing geopolitical tensions and renewed risk appetite lifting semiconductor names across the market. Investors remain optimistic that sustained AI infrastructure spending will continue to drive demand for wafer fabrication equipment, providing a favorable backdrop for Applied Materials' business.

Applied Materials shares are trading around $675, up approximately 7.7% during Monday's session.
Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) surged 13.4% on Thursday as investors poured back into AI-related semiconductor stocks, with the broader chip sector rallying after Micron's blockbuster earnings and upbeat outlook reinforced confidence in AI-driven demand.

On Friday, Jefferies reiterated its Buy rating on Applied Materials and maintained a $770 price target, reaffirming its positive long-term view on the semiconductor equipment maker. The firm expects Applied Materials to remain a key beneficiary of rising investment in advanced chip manufacturing, supported by strong demand for AI processors, high-bandwidth memory, and leading-edge fabrication technologies.

Applied Materials is well positioned to benefit from increasing wafer fabrication spending as global chipmakers expand production capacity to meet growing AI infrastructure needs. Its broad portfolio of manufacturing equipment and exposure to both logic and memory markets continue to support a favorable long-term outlook.

While Thursday's rally was driven by the broader semiconductor rebound, Jefferies' reaffirmed bullish stance reinforces Wall Street's confidence in Applied Materials' growth prospects as AI-related capital spending continues to accelerate.
Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) fell 8% despite receiving a major vote of confidence from Bank of America, which raised its price target to $720 from $540 while maintaining a Buy rating.

The decline was driven less by company-specific developments and more by a broad selloff across technology and semiconductor stocks. Investor sentiment weakened after fresh concerns emerged about the global chip industry outlook, triggering profit-taking throughout the semiconductor supply chain.

The move overshadowed Bank of America's bullish outlook, which reflects confidence in Applied Materials' long-term growth prospects and its central role in the ongoing AI-driven semiconductor investment cycle. The company remains one of the world's largest suppliers of equipment used to manufacture advanced chips for artificial intelligence, data centers, and high-performance computing applications.

While the sharp decline pressured the stock, the positive analyst action suggests Wall Street continues to see significant long-term upside. Investors appear to be reacting to broader sector weakness rather than any deterioration in Applied Materials' fundamentals.

The selloff highlights how sentiment-driven market moves can temporarily outweigh positive company-specific news, particularly in sectors that have delivered substantial gains during the AI boom.
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