27d agoThe Motley FoolBULLISH 67General
Applied Materials Trades More Than 25% Below Its High With Revenue at a Record
The equipment maker just posted records on nearly every line and guided even higher. The stock is priced as if it won't last.
Archived explainer. For the current picture see today's AMAT page.
Why Is APPLIED MATLS INC (AMAT) Stock Moving Today?
By the Top Tier Newswire AI Desk · August 17, 2026 at 12:15 AM ET · reviewed against 17 wire stories
APPLIED MATLS INC (AMAT) is drawing unusual attention today. Our newswire has captured 17 stories on AMAT across 6 sources in the last 36 hours, with AI sentiment reading mixed (avg 55/100).
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Why AMAT stock is moving today
Applied Materials Inc stock is moving lower today, having fallen more than 5% over the last eight sessions to trade at $506.17 from a recent high of $534.24. The decline reflects a mix of analyst activity and internal sales by executives and directors, amid a backdrop of strong earnings performance and revised price targets. The stock remains significantly below its 52-week high of $739.67.
What Happened
Applied Materials reported non-GAAP earnings of $3.50 per share in Q3, exceeding the consensus estimate of $3.39. The company also guided for non-GAAP Q4 earnings of $4.02, plus or minus 20 cents, which is above the $3.68 consensus. Despite these strong results, the stock has continued to decline. Over the last 36 hours, multiple analysts have adjusted their price targets, with UBS lowering its target to $675 from $705, BofA to $650 from $720, and Deutsche Bank to $605 from $680. Meanwhile, JPMorgan and Bernstein raised their targets to $660 and $700 respectively.
Recent insider transactions have also drawn attention. CEO Gary Dickerson and other executives and directors have sold shares in recent weeks, with SEC filings showing 10 insider sales totaling $169.7 million over the last 90 days. These sales include transactions by Dickerson, Prabu G. Raja, and Thomas J. Iannotti.
What The Data Shows
The stock has printed six fresh 52-week highs on August 17, but has since fallen sharply. With a market cap of $418.8 billion and a P/E ratio of 45.8, the stock is trading at a premium to earnings. Revenue has grown by 3.3% in the trailing twelve months, and the company maintains a net margin of 29.3%. Short-term volatility is evident, with the stock beta at 1.62, indicating higher sensitivity to market movements.
What To Watch
Investors should monitor the company’s upcoming earnings report for further guidance and any additional analyst activity. No specific earnings date is provided, but coverage breadth and price target changes will remain key indicators for near-term direction.
AI-assisted analysis composed exclusively from headlines and data on the Top Tier newswire. Public view is delayed 4 hours from real time. Not financial advice.
AMAT by the numbers
7 sessions: +0.24%Coverage: 17 stories / 6 sourcesAI sentiment: 55/100 (mixed)Mkt cap: $418.8BP/E: 45.852w: $154.47 to $739.67
The headlines behind the move
27d agoThe FlyBULLISH 73Earnings
Applied Materials sees non-GAAP Q4 EPS $4.02 +/- 20c, consensus $3.68
27d agoThe FlyBULLISH 68Earnings
Applied Materials reports Q3 non-GAAP EPS $3.50, consensus $3.39
27d agoThe FlyBEARISH 42Analyst
Applied Materials price target lowered to $675 from $705 at UBS
27d agoThe FlyBEARISH 38Analyst
Applied Materials price target lowered to $650 from $720 at BofA
27d agoThe FlyBULLISH 73Analyst
Applied Materials price target raised to $660 from $515 at JPMorgan
27d agoThe FlyBULLISH 61Analyst
Applied Materials price target raised to $700 from $675 at Bernstein
27d agoThe FlyBEARISH 38Analyst
Applied Materials price target lowered to $605 from $680 at Deutsche Bank
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More on AMAT: full news and sentiment history. Sentiment scores are AI-derived research signals, not financial advice.
Earlier AMAT move explainers: 2026-08-17