Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) Price Target Raised to $500.00

09 Apr 2026, 15:32 by Tristan Rich · The Markets Daily

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT – Get Free Report) had its price target lifted by equities research analysts at Susquehanna from $435.00 to $500.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a “positive” rating on the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock. Susquehanna’s target price points to a potential upside of 26.70% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on AMAT. Summit Insights upgraded Applied Materials from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, February 13th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “buy (b-)” rating on shares of Applied Materials in a research note on Friday, March 27th. Erste Group Bank raised shares of Applied Materials to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 24th. Sanford C. Bernstein restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $425.00 price objective on shares of Applied Materials in a report on Friday, February 13th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $470.00 price objective on shares of Applied Materials in a research report on Friday, February 13th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-six have given a Buy rating and seven have assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $367.04.

View Our Latest Analysis on AMAT

Applied Materials Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:AMAT traded up $8.90 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $394.62. The company had a trading volume of 1,241,049 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,497,096. Applied Materials has a twelve month low of $132.80 and a twelve month high of $395.95. The stock has a market cap of $313.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 40.40, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.55 and a beta of 1.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 2.71 and a quick ratio of 1.94. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $349.19 and its 200-day simple moving average is $285.81.

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 12th. The manufacturing equipment provider reported $2.38 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.21 by $0.17. Applied Materials had a return on equity of 37.52% and a net margin of 27.78%.The company had revenue of $7.01 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $6.88 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $2.38 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Applied Materials has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 2.440-2.840 EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Applied Materials will post 9.38 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Judy Bruner sold 2,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $391.71, for a total value of $979,275.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 26,089 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $10,219,322.19. The trade was a 8.74% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CAO Adam Sanders sold 534 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, February 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $379.16, for a total transaction of $202,471.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 4,625 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,753,615. This represents a 10.35% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 12,003 shares of company stock valued at $4,484,189. 0.30% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Applied Materials

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AMAT. Cornerstone Financial Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Applied Materials during the fourth quarter worth about $25,000. Marquette Asset Management LLC raised its stake in Applied Materials by 150.0% during the 3rd quarter. Marquette Asset Management LLC now owns 125 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 75 shares during the last quarter. Redmont Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in Applied Materials during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Wilkerson Advisory Group LLC acquired a new stake in Applied Materials during the 4th quarter worth approximately $26,000. Finally, Highline Wealth Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Applied Materials by 48.7% in the 4th quarter. Highline Wealth Partners LLC now owns 116 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing 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: Applied launched new 2nm GAA deposition tools aimed at the angstrom era of logic chips; the market cheered the capability to produce smaller, more power‑efficient AI transistors, which directly addresses foundries’ roadmaps for next‑generation AI chips. Applied Materials (AMAT) Is Up After Launching 2nm GAA Deposition Tools
Positive Sentiment: The company’s press release details two systems — Precision™ Selective Nitride PECVD and Trillium™ ALD — built to wrap nanosheets and preserve shallow trench isolation, statements that signal customer traction at 2nm and beyond. This technical depth supports revenue upside from node transitions. Applied Materials Introduces Deposition Systems for Angstrom‑Era Logic Chips
Positive Sentiment: Broker and market commentary lifted conviction — several outlets and analysts highlighted AMAT among top semiconductor picks, reinforcing buy-side interest and helping drive momentum. Goldman Sachs Names Teradyne, Applied Materials, AMD as Top Semiconductor Picks
Positive Sentiment: Corporate actions supporting shareholder returns (recent dividend increase announced in March) add a tailwind to investor sentiment and total‑return considerations. Here’s What Makes Applied Materials (AMAT) an Unstoppable Technology Stock to Buy Now
Neutral Sentiment: Broader market drivers (e.g., easing geopolitical risk and related rallies) contributed to the uplift in semiconductor names, so part of AMAT’s move reflects sector momentum rather than company‑specific news alone. Dow Jones Futures Fall, Oil Prices Rise After Iran Ceasefire Rally
Negative Sentiment: Valuation and momentum risk: AMAT has run materially higher over the past year and some coverage questions whether that performance is already priced in — investors should consider the risk of a pullback or consolidation after a rapid move. Is It Too Late To Consider Applied Materials (AMAT) After 177% One Year Surge?

Applied Materials Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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.