Applied Materials stock slips after record sales and new guidance
Published on 08/23/2026 at 17:01 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Applied Materials stock (US0382221051) eased after fiscal third-quarter sales reached $9.12 billion and adjusted EPS came in at $3.50 for the period ended July 27, 2026. The latest quote in the session showed the shares at $492.00, with a market cap of $391.04 billion and a 52-week range of $154.47 to $739.67.
The fresh results matter because revenue rose 24.8 percent from a year earlier to $9.12 billion, while net income reached $2.54 billion and operating margin remained high enough to keep the business firmly in the upper tier of chip-equipment suppliers. The company also set fourth-quarter 2026 guidance at EPS of $3.82 to $4.22, a range that gives investors a concrete base for the next quarter.
Record quarter, then a softer tape
The number that stands out is the gap between the operating print and the share response. Applied Materials reported $3.50 in EPS versus consensus of $3.40, and revenue of $9.12 billion versus $8.99 billion expected, yet the stock was quoted below the session high of $506.93 and above the day low of $483.13.
Volume added another signal. Trading reached 5.53 million shares against an average daily volume of 8.45 million, showing active repositioning after the earnings update and the new outlook.
Guidance keeps the focus on demand
The fourth-quarter EPS guide of $3.82 to $4.22 suggests management still sees healthy demand across advanced logic, DRAM and packaging tools. That matters because the quarter ended July 27, 2026 delivered 24.8 percent year-over-year revenue growth, a pace that is hard to ignore in a capital-spending cycle.
Analyst sentiment also stayed supportive in the latest market snapshot, with a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average target price of $659.83. That sits well above the latest quote and leaves room for the stock to narrow the gap if execution holds up.
Tools for chips
Applied Materials' core business remains the equipment used to build semiconductors, flat-panel displays and advanced materials layers. Its toolset spans deposition, etch, inspection and related process steps, which keeps the company tied directly to chipmakers' spending plans.
The latest quarter showed why that franchise still matters: $9.12 billion in sales, $2.54 billion in net income and 24.8 percent growth year over year all point to a company that is still extracting value from that tool chain.
Shares and valuation
At $492.00, the stock traded well below its 52-week high of $739.67 and above its 52-week low of $154.47 as of August 23, 2026. The market cap stood at $391.04 billion, while the latest earnings release and guidance frame the next move more than any single day of trading.
More on Applied Materials stock
Applied Materials makes semiconductor manufacturing systems that help produce chips for logic, memory and advanced packaging.
Investor Relations
Company: Applied Materials, Inc.
ISIN: US0382221051
Ticker: AMAT
Exchange: Nasdaq
Price (as of August 23, 2026, 4:00 p.m. ET): $492.00 USD
Market cap: $391.04 billion (as of August 23, 2026)
Sector / Industry: Information Technology / Semiconductor Materials & Equipment
Index membership: S&P 500
