Western Wealth Management Increases Stake in Applied Materials by 13.6%

Western Wealth Management LLC has increased its stake in Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) by 13.6% during the second quarter of the year. According to a recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, the institutional investor now holds 4,243 shares of the manufacturing equipment provider, having acquired an additional 508 shares in the period. At the end of the last quarter, Western Wealth Management’s holdings in Applied Materials were valued at approximately $777,000.

Several other institutional investors have also made notable adjustments to their positions in Applied Materials. For instance, Brighton Jones LLC increased its stake by 28.0% in the fourth quarter, bringing its total to 12,674 shares, worth about $2.06 million after purchasing an additional 2,771 shares. Similarly, OneAscent Financial Services LLC entered the market with a new stake valued at $422,000 in the first quarter.

Other firms such as IFP Advisors Inc and Atlantic Union Bankshares Corp have also expanded their holdings, with IFP Advisors increasing its position by 32.5% and Atlantic Union Bankshares seeing a 1.2% rise. Notably, J.W. Cole Advisors Inc reported a dramatic increase of 150.2% in its holdings, now owning 39,874 shares valued at approximately $5.79 million. Collectively, institutional investors own about 80.56% of Applied Materials’ stock.

Analysts Respond to Stock Performance

Market analysts have also been actively evaluating Applied Materials. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a price target of $250.00 for the stock. In contrast, Mizuho lowered its target price from $215.00 to $205.00 while maintaining a “neutral” rating. Wolfe Research followed suit by reducing its target price from $230.00 to $200.00, although it still rates the stock as “outperform.”

Investment ratings show a favorable outlook, with 19 analysts recommending a buy and 14 issuing hold ratings on the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Applied Materials currently holds an average rating of “Moderate Buy” with a consensus target price of $226.74.

Applied Materials Financial Highlights

On the stock exchange, Applied Materials opened at $228.71. The company reports a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28, a current ratio of 2.50, and a quick ratio of 1.76. With a market capitalization of approximately $182.20 billion, its price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio stands at 27.26, and the price-to-earnings-growth ratio is 2.95.

In the latest quarterly earnings report, released on November 13, Applied Materials posted earnings of $2.17 per share, exceeding analysts’ expectations of $2.11 by $0.06. The company recorded a net margin of 23.88% and a return on equity of 40.96%, with total revenue reaching $6.80 billion, surpassing forecasts of $6.68 billion. Year-on-year, this represents a decrease in revenue of 3.5%.

Looking ahead, Applied Materials has projected its earnings for the first quarter of 2026 to fall between $1.980 and $2.380 per share. Analysts collectively anticipate an average earnings per share (EPS) of 9.38 for the current fiscal year.

In addition to its market performance, Applied Materials has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.46 per share, scheduled for payment on December 11. Shareholders on record as of November 20 will be eligible for the dividend, which translates to an annualized yield of 0.8% based on a payout ratio of 21.20%.

Founded to provide manufacturing equipment and services to the semiconductor and display industries, Applied Materials operates through three segments: Semiconductor Systems, Applied Global Services, and Display and Adjacent Markets. The Semiconductor Systems segment focuses on the development and sale of equipment used to fabricate semiconductor chips.

For ongoing updates on institutional holdings and other financial insights related to Applied Materials, investors can explore resources like HoldingsChannel.com and MarketBeat.com.