In the third quarter, Audent Global Asset Management LLC slashed its position in Applied Materials by 50.6%, disposing of 6,675 shares and retaining 6,523 shares at period end. This holding now represents approximately 1.0% of the firm’s total investment portfolio, ranking as its 25th largest position. According to the latest SEC filing, the residual stake in Applied Materials was valued at $1,336,000, reflecting a strategic rebalancing away from semiconductor-equipment exposure.

Several mid-sized asset managers made minor adjustments to their Applied Materials allocations in the same quarter. Sagespring Wealth Partners added 43 shares to reach 8,340 shares, valuing its stake at $1,707,000. Sunflower Bank N.A. increased holdings by 46 shares to 3,287 shares ($673,000), while Outlook Wealth Advisors and Welch Group lifted their positions by 47 and 50 shares respectively, bringing their stakes to 1,233 shares ($252,000) and 1,741 shares ($356,000). Everpar Advisors also acquired 51 additional shares, totaling 3,359 shares ($688,000). Collectively, institutional investors now control over 80% of the company’s shares.

In its latest quarter, Applied Materials delivered revenue of $6.80 billion, a 3.5% decline from the prior year, while reporting net margin of 24.7% and return on equity of 39.3%. Earnings per share came in at $2.17, surpassing consensus by $0.06, with guidance for the next quarter set at $1.98 to $2.38 per share. The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.46 per share, payable on March 12 to shareholders of record on February 19, equating to an annualized yield of approximately 0.6% and a payout ratio near 21%.