In the third quarter, Audent Global Asset Management LLC reduced its holdings in Applied Materials by 50.6%, selling 6,675 shares to leave a balance of 6,523 shares. This stake represented approximately 1.0% of Audent’s total portfolio and ranked as its 25th largest position. At the time of the filing, the remaining shares were valued at $1.34 million. This significant reduction contrasts with smaller adjustments by other institutions: Sagespring Wealth Partners added 43 shares, Sunflower Bank acquired 46 shares, Outlook Wealth Advisors increased its holding by 47 shares, Welch Group added 50 shares and Everpar Advisors purchased 51 shares. Institutional ownership of Applied Materials stands at 80.56%.

Applied Materials reported third-quarter revenue of $6.80 billion, down 3.5% year-over-year, but still above consensus estimates by $120 million. Earnings per share reached $2.17, outperforming the $2.11 estimate, translating into a net margin of 24.67% and a return on equity of 39.26%. For the first quarter of fiscal 2026, management forecasted EPS between $1.98 and $2.38. Sell-side analysts project full-year EPS of 9.38, reflecting normalization after a one-time tax provision impacted 2025 results. Capital expenditures remain supported by the Applied Global Services segment’s recurring revenue, while Semiconductor Systems continues to drive top-line growth.

The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.46 per share, payable March 12 to shareholders of record on February 19, implying an annualized payout of $1.84 and a 21.2% payout ratio. Dividend yield stands at 0.6%. On the sell-side, 24 analysts maintain Buy ratings and nine assign Hold, resulting in an average recommendation of Moderate Buy. Notable recent actions include JPMorgan raising its rating to Overweight, Goldman Sachs reiterating a Buy view, and Wells Fargo increasing its target. These upgrades reflect confidence in Applied Materials’ resilience amid capital spending cycles and the secular growth in semiconductor demand.