Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) Up 4.6% — Time to Load Up?
Key Points
Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) showed strong performance in today’s session, with shares advancing 4.62% from the prior close. The stock gained $14.76 to trade at $334.22 on the NASDAQ, underscoring robust bullish activity in the near term. This move pushes AMAT into fresh high ground, with the current price now slightly above its recent 52-week peak of $333.03 set on Jan. 22, 2026. From a technical standpoint, trading at or just above a 52-week high often signals strong upside momentum, as buyers continue to push the stock into new territory rather than retreating from prior resistance levels.
Trading volume stands at 2,352,465 shares, which is below the 90-day average of 7,982,160. While today’s move is sizable in percentage and dollar terms, the lighter-than-usual volume suggests the advance is occurring without heavy turnover. Even so, the price action itself remains clearly constructive, with AMAT gaining ground more decisively than many large-cap technology names. Within the broader semiconductor and chip-equipment group, peers such as NVIDIA (NVDA), Broadcom (AVGO), and Lam Research (LRCX) have all seen strong multi-month runs, and AMAT’s fresh high keeps it firmly aligned with this bullish sector trend. For investors focused on momentum and technical strength, the combination of a 4.62% daily jump, a $14.76 gain, and a breakout above the prior 52-week high highlights a stock that is firmly in an advancing phase.
Why Applied Materials, Inc. Price is Moving Higher
Applied Materials, Inc. is climbing to fresh record highs as investors respond to a powerful combination of analyst conviction and resilient fundamentals across the semiconductor landscape. The stock’s surge to a new all-time high around $332 follows a string of upbeat analyst actions, including Barclays upgrading the shares to overweight and lifting its price target sharply to $360, with others going as high as $400. That wave of upgrades, layered on top of a “Moderate Buy” consensus and the absence of any sell ratings, is reinforcing the view that AMAT remains a core beneficiary of long-term semiconductor and wafer fabrication equipment demand.
Under the surface, recent operating results are doing much of the heavy lifting for sentiment. In its latest quarter, Applied Materials delivered earnings per share of $2.17, topping estimates, on revenue of $6.80 billion. While revenue slipped 3.48% year over year, the company is maintaining a robust profit profile with margins that support the higher valuation investors are now willing to pay. Guidance for the upcoming quarter—EPS in the $1.98–$2.38 range—signals management’s confidence heading into the Feb. 12 earnings call, which is becoming a key near-term catalyst. Against a backdrop of strong year-over-year price appreciation and a sector-wide uptrend led by names like NVIDIA, Broadcom, and Lam Research, investors appear eager to position ahead of potential upside in semiconductor capital spending, helping drive AMAT’s price momentum higher.
What is the Applied Materials, Inc. Rating - Should I Buy?
Weiss Ratings assigns AMAT a B rating. Current recommendation is Buy. This places Applied Materials, Inc. in the higher-quality tier of U.S. stocks, with an overall risk/reward profile that favors long-term investors willing to tolerate some price swings. Within the semiconductor space, a B rating signals a relatively solid name compared with the broader market universe.
The foundation of this rating is the company’s operating strength. AMAT earns an Excellent Efficiency Index and an Excellent Solvency Index, supported by a return on equity of 35.51% and a profit margin of 24.66%. These figures indicate that management has been effective at turning capital into profits while maintaining a sound balance sheet. The Good Growth Index and Good Total Return Index show that, despite a recent revenue decline of 3.48%, the company has still delivered competitive performance over a longer horizon.
Risk is present but generally manageable. The Fair Volatility Index means investors should expect normal swings typical of leading technology names, especially with a forward P/E of 36.82 that prices in meaningful future growth. Meanwhile, the Weak Dividend Index signals that income generation is not a primary strength here; AMAT is better viewed as a growth and innovation play than a dividend-oriented holding.
Compared with key peers such as NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA, B), Broadcom Inc. (AVGO, B-), and Lam Research Corporation (LRCX, B-), Applied Materials holds its own as a high-caliber semiconductor stock. For investors seeking exposure to the Information Technology sector’s manufacturing and equipment side, the B (Buy) rating indicates AMAT is a relatively strong, quality-focused candidate within this competitive group.
About Applied Materials, Inc.
Applied Materials, Inc. is a leading global provider of manufacturing equipment, services, and software for the Semiconductor and Semiconductor Equipment industry. Headquartered in California, the company plays a critical role in enabling the production of advanced chips used in computing, communications, consumer electronics, automotive systems, and industrial applications. Applied Materials focuses on materials engineering solutions, helping customers design and build smaller, faster, more efficient semiconductor devices by precisely modifying materials at the atomic level.
The company’s core portfolio spans deposition, etch, inspection, metrology, and ion implantation systems, as well as chemical mechanical planarization tools that are essential to modern semiconductor fabrication. Applied Materials also offers integrated solutions for patterning and advanced packaging, supporting the transition to leading-edge process nodes and complex chip architectures. Beyond hardware, it provides factory automation software, process control technologies, and technical support services that help semiconductor manufacturers improve yield, throughput, and overall equipment effectiveness.
Applied Materials benefits from its long-standing relationships with major foundries, logic, memory, and display manufacturers worldwide. Its scale, broad technology portfolio, and deep process expertise create high barriers to entry in the semiconductor equipment sector. By working closely with customers on next-generation process development, the company positions itself as a strategic partner in advancing Moore’s Law and enabling emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, 5G, high-performance computing, and advanced automotive electronics.
Investor Outlook
With a B (Buy) Weiss Rating, Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) appears favorably positioned for investors seeking exposure to information technology names that balance growth potential with disciplined risk. The key from here will be how the stock responds to sector-wide demand trends and whether its operational execution can sustain the momentum implied by its current rating. See full rankings of all B-rated Information Technology stocks inside the Weiss Stock Screener.
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