Semiconductor industry giant Applied Materials Inc. beat expectations for its latest financial results and forecast higher sales in the coming year thanks to artificial intelligence demand, but its stock...

Investing.com -- Bank of America downgraded Applied Materials to Neutral from Buy and cut its price objective to $180 from $190, citing a weaker-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter outlook and growing exposure to sluggish chip equipment segments. The brokerage said Applied’s heavy reliance on mature-node demand especially in China and softer spending from major customers such as Intel are weighing on visibility and could continue to hold back growth into 2025. It cut its fiscal 2026 and 2027 adjusted earnings estimates by 9% and 5% respectively, though it maintained its valuation framework at 18 times 2026 earnings. While Bank of America still views Applied as a high-quality supplier, it said the company is underperforming the wafer fab equipment (WFE) market and may be losing share to peers such as Lam Research and KLA. It estimates Applied lost roughly 200 basis points of market share in 2024 due to slower sales in areas like etch and deposition. Applied shares trade at a discount to Lam on 2026 earnings, and BofA said the stock could benefit if China licenses improve or Intel increases capital spending, but near-term momentum looks weak. Applied now expects its Semiconductor Systems segment revenue to fall 1% in calendar 2025 and rise 6% in 2026, lagging BofA’s WFE growth forecast of 5% and 6% for those years. The bank also warned of potential longer-term competition from Chinese equipment makers in areas where Applied has historically been strong, such as CMP and ion implantation. Don't miss out on the next big opportunity! Stay ahead of the curve with ProPicks – 6 model portfolios fueled by AI stock picks with a stellar performance this year.. In 2024 alone, ProPicks' AI identified 2 stocks that surged over 150%, 4 additional stocks that leaped over 30%, and 3 more that climbed over 25%. That's an impressive track record. With portfolios tailored for Dow stocks, S&P stocks, Tech Stocks, and Mid Cap stocks, you can explore various wealth-building strategies. So if INTC is on your watchlist, it could be very wise to know whether or not it made the ProPicks lists.

Applied Materials Stock Drops On Weak Outlook  Investor's Business Daily

BEIJING (Reuters) -Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technologies, a semiconductor equipment firm backed by Beijing’s government, on Wednesday said it has sued U.S. chip equipment supplier Applied Materials over alleged trade secrets infringement. Applied Materials had illegally obtained and used Beijing E-Town’s core technology secrets related to plasma sources and wafer surface treatment, the Beijing-based company said according to a filing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. The company, which is seeking 99.99 million yuan ($13.94 million) in compensation, alleged that Applied Materials had disclosed technical secrets by applying for a patent in China and claiming the patent’s application rights. Applied Materials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In 2016, Beijing E-Town acquired Mattson Technology, a California-based semiconductor wafer processing equipment designer and manufacturer. Applied Materials sued Mattson in 2022, alleging that it had hired its former employees with the intention of stealing trade secrets. In 2023, Mattson countersued Applied Materials making similar accusations. In the new case filed with the Beijing Intellectual Property Court, Beijing E-Town alleged that Applied Materials had hired two former Mattson employees, who were later listed as the principal inventors behind a patent filed by Applied Materials in China. The patent, filed with China’s intellectual property administration, disclosed confidential technical know-how jointly held by Beijing E-Town and Mattson, Beijing E-Town said. Applied Materials’ actions, the Beijing firm said, violated China’s fair competition law and constituted infringement of its trade secrets. ($1 = 7.1746 Chinese yuan renminbi) Don't miss out on the next big opportunity! Stay ahead of the curve with ProPicks AI – 6 model portfolios fueled by AI stock picks with a stellar performance this year... In 2024 alone, ProPicks AI identified 2 stocks that surged over 150%, 4 additional stocks that leaped over 30%, and 3 more that climbed over 25%. That's an impressive track record. With portfolios tailored for Dow stocks, S&P stocks, Tech Stocks, and Mid Cap stocks, you can explore various wealth-building strategies. So if AMAT is on your watchlist, it could be very wise to know whether or not it made the ProPicks AI lists.

Investing.com -- Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technologies has filed a lawsuit against U.S. chip equipment supplier Applied Materials for alleged trade secrets infringement, the Chinese company announced Wednesday. The semiconductor equipment firm, which is backed by Beijing’s government, claims Applied Materials illegally obtained and used its core technology secrets related to plasma sources and wafer surface treatment, according to a filing on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Beijing E-Town is seeking 99.99 million yuan ($13.94 million) in compensation. The company alleges that Applied Materials disclosed technical secrets by applying for a patent in China and claiming the patent’s application rights. The lawsuit was filed with the Beijing Intellectual Property Court. Beijing E-Town claims Applied Materials hired two former employees of Mattson Technology, a California-based semiconductor wafer processing equipment designer and manufacturer that Beijing E-Town acquired in 2016. These former employees were later listed as the principal inventors behind a patent filed by Applied Materials in China. According to Beijing E-Town, the patent filed with China’s intellectual property administration disclosed confidential technical know-how jointly held by Beijing E-Town and Mattson. The Beijing firm stated that Applied Materials’ actions violated China’s fair competition law and constituted infringement of its trade secrets. This legal battle has a complex history. In 2022, Applied Materials sued Mattson, alleging that it had hired its former employees with the intention of stealing trade secrets. Mattson countersued Applied Materials in 2023 with similar accusations. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Investing.com - Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target on Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) to $220 from $200 on Tuesday, while maintaining an Overweight rating on the semiconductor equipment maker’s stock. The research firm cited increasing confidence in above-consensus calendar year 2026 estimates as the primary reason for the price target adjustment. Cantor Fitzgerald noted a "positive set-up" for large-cap front-end semiconductor equipment stocks heading into earnings season. The firm specifically mentioned Applied Materials among several semiconductor equipment companies, including ASML (AS:ASML), KLA Corporation, and Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX), that could see consensus estimates move "modestly higher" in the near term. Applied Materials, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is one of the world’s largest suppliers of equipment used in the manufacturing of semiconductor chips, with products spanning wafer fabrication, display technologies, and related services. The price target increase represents a 10% boost from Cantor Fitzgerald’s previous valuation of the company, reflecting the firm’s optimistic outlook on Applied Materials’ future performance through 2026. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C. With valuations skyrocketing in 2024, many investors are uneasy putting more money into stocks. Unsure where to invest next? Get access to our proven portfolios and discover high-potential opportunities. In 2024 alone, ProPicks AI identified 2 stocks that surged over 150%, 4 additional stocks that leaped over 30%, and 3 more that climbed over 25%. That's an impressive track record. With portfolios tailored for Dow stocks, S&P stocks, Tech stocks, and Mid Cap stocks, you can explore various wealth-building strategies.

Investing.com -- Morgan Stanley upgraded Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) to Equal-Weight from Underweight, citing a partially derisked outlook for China and its ICAPS business, but warned that weakness in leading-edge logic and DRAM remains a concern heading into fiscal 2026. With China and ICAPS are now derisked, and valuation is undemanding, as per the analysts. The firm’s new price target is $158, based on 17 times its 2026 earnings estimate of $9.31, which it says is in line with Applied’s historical average but still at a steep discount to peers like KLA and Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX). Morgan Stanley sees revenue from China and ICAPS, a segment catering to mature semiconductor nodes, stabilizing through October 2025 but not recovering. At the same time, the bank cut its forecasts for foundry logic and DRAM investments, which weigh on overall estimates. It expects Applied’s DRAM revenue to fall 5% in FY25 and 12% in FY26. The firm’s FY26 revenue and EPS estimates are 8% and 10% below consensus, respectively. Despite the bearish tone on parts of the business, Morgan Stanley said AMAT’s current valuation and underperformance versus peers limit further downside. Still, any renewed U.S. export restrictions on semiconductor equipment to China could hurt the stock, Morgan Stanley warned, estimating potential revenue and EPS downside of over 20% in FY26 and FY27 in such a scenario. Upside risks include renewed investment from Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) and Samsung (KS:005930) in foundry operations, which the bank does not currently model. Should you invest $2,000 in INTC right now? With INTC making headlines, savvy investors are asking: Is it truly valued fairly? In a market full of overpriced darlings, identifying true value can be challenging. InvestingPro's advanced AI algorithms have analyzed INTC alongside thousands of other stocks to uncover hidden gems. These undervalued stocks, potentially including INTC, could offer substantial returns as the market corrects. In 2024 alone, our AI identified several undervalued stocks that later surged by 30 or more. Is INTC poised for similar growth? Don't miss the opportunity to find out.

Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Applied Materials, Novo Nordisk, Cava, Vistra and more  CNBC

Semiconductor industry giant Applied Materials Inc. delivered mixed results in its latest quarter and offered guidance that came in just shy of expectations, sending its stock lower in extended trading...

Chip Gear Maker Applied Materials Disappoints With Slight Sales Miss  Investor's Business Daily

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Applied Materials представив інновації в галузі мікросхем, які спрямовані на подолання проблем енергоефективних обчислень.