Audent Global Asset Management LLC disclosed a reduction of its position in Applied Materials during the third quarter, selling 6,675 shares and ending the period with 6,523 shares of the semiconductor equipment provider. This sale represents a 50.6% decline in Audent Global’s holding, which now accounts for approximately 1.0% of its total portfolio and ranks as its 25th largest position. The remaining shares were valued at $1,336,000 as of the latest SEC filing, marking a notable re-allocation of capital away from the chip-making equipment sector.

Several other asset managers made modest adjustments to their Applied Materials holdings in the same quarter. Sagespring Wealth Partners increased its stake by 0.5%—adding 43 shares to reach 8,340 shares valued at $1,707,000—while Sunflower Bank added 46 shares, bringing its total to 3,287 shares valued at $673,000 (a 1.4% increase). Outlook Wealth Advisors acquired 47 additional shares (a 4.0% rise) to reach 1,233 shares worth $252,000. Welch Group added 50 shares (3.0%), totaling 1,741 shares valued at $356,000, and Everpar Advisors purchased 51 shares (1.5%) to hold 3,359 shares worth $688,000. Collectively, hedge funds and other institutions control 80.56% of the company’s outstanding shares.

In its third-quarter report, Applied Materials posted earnings per share of $2.17, beating consensus estimates by $0.06, on revenue of $6.80 billion versus expectations of $6.68 billion. The company achieved a net margin of 24.67% and a return on equity of 39.26%, though revenue dipped 3.5% year-over-year. Guidance for the first quarter of the next fiscal year targets EPS in the range of $1.98 to $2.38, with analysts forecasting full-year EPS of 9.38. The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.46 per share—equivalent to $1.84 annually and a yield of 0.6%—with an ex-dividend date of February 19 and a record date of the same day, to be paid on March 12, reflecting a payout ratio of 21.2%.