Applied Materials Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend of $0.46 per Share

Applied Materials approved a $0.46 quarterly cash dividend, continuing an eight-year trend of increasing shareholder returns.

Quiver AI Summary

Applied Materials, Inc. has announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.46 per share, which will be paid on March 12, 2026, to shareholders recorded by February 19, 2026. This marks the eighth consecutive year of dividend increases, following a 15% rise from $0.40 earlier in 2025. In fiscal 2025, the company returned nearly $6.3 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, with approximately $14 billion remaining in its buyback authorization. Over the past decade, Applied Materials has seen a compound annual growth rate of 16% in its dividends and has distributed around 90% of free cash flow to shareholders. Future dividends and share repurchase timing will depend on various factors, including financial health and market conditions.

Potential Positives

Approval of a quarterly cash dividend of $0.46 per share reinforces shareholder confidence and demonstrates the company's commitment to returning value to its investors.
Eight consecutive years of dividend increases highlights the company's strong financial performance and consistent capital allocation strategy.
Distribution of nearly $6.3 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases in fiscal 2025 indicates robust cash flow management and a solid return on investment.
The company has a significant share repurchase authorization remaining, signaling potential future value enhancement for shareholders.

Potential Negatives

While the company announced an increase in its quarterly cash dividend, the statement emphasizes that future dividends are not guaranteed and depend on various factors, indicating financial uncertainty.
The reliance on nearly 90 percent of free cash flow to return value to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases may raise concerns about the company's ability to reinvest in growth opportunities.
The forward-looking statements contain warnings that actual results may differ materially from expectations, which could create apprehension among investors regarding future financial performance.

FAQ

What is the new quarterly dividend amount for Applied Materials?

Applied Materials has announced a quarterly cash dividend of $0.46 per share.

When will the dividend be paid to shareholders?

The dividend will be payable on March 12, 2026, to shareholders of record as of February 19, 2026.

How long has Applied Materials been increasing its dividends?

Applied Materials has marked eight consecutive years of dividend increases.

What was the total amount distributed to shareholders in fiscal 2025?

In fiscal 2025, Applied Materials distributed nearly $6.3 billion through dividends and share repurchases.

What is the compound annual growth rate of dividends per share?

Over the past 10 fiscal years, Applied's dividend per share has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 16 percent.

Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated summary of a press release distributed by GlobeNewswire. The model used to summarize this release may make mistakes. See the full release here.

$AMAT Insider Trading Activity

$AMAT insiders have traded $AMAT stock on the open market 4 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 0 have been purchases and 4 have been sales.

Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $AMAT stock by insiders over the last 6 months:

TERI A. LITTLE (SVP, CLO) has made 0 purchases and 2 sales selling 8,000 shares for an estimated $1,889,262.
ADAM SANDERS (Corp. Controller & CAO) has made 0 purchases and 2 sales selling 1,171 shares for an estimated $255,993.

To track insider transactions, check out Quiver Quantitative's insider trading dashboard.

$AMAT Revenue

$AMAT had revenues of $6.8B in Q4 2025. This is a decrease of -3.48% from the same period in the prior year.

You can track AMAT financials on Quiver Quantitative's AMAT stock page.

$AMAT Congressional Stock Trading

Members of Congress have traded $AMAT stock 4 times in the past 6 months. Of those trades, 3 have been purchases and 1 have been sales.

Here’s a breakdown of recent trading of $AMAT stock by members of Congress over the last 6 months:

REPRESENTATIVE DAN NEWHOUSE purchased up to $15,000 on 08/18.
REPRESENTATIVE LISA C. MCCLAIN has traded it 2 times. They made 1 purchase worth up to $15,000 on 07/22 and 1 sale worth up to $15,000 on 08/04.
SENATOR ANGUS S. KING JR. purchased up to $15,000 on 07/21.

To track congressional stock trading, check out Quiver Quantitative's congressional trading dashboard.

$AMAT Hedge Fund Activity

We have seen 1,085 institutional investors add shares of $AMAT stock to their portfolio, and 1,171 decrease their positions in their most recent quarter.

Here are some of the largest recent moves:

UBS AM, A DISTINCT BUSINESS UNIT OF UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC added 16,986,059 shares (+1334.4%) to their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $3,477,725,719
CAPITAL RESEARCH GLOBAL INVESTORS added 10,305,182 shares (+225.4%) to their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $2,109,882,962
KINGSTONE CAPITAL PARTNERS TEXAS, LLC removed 4,819,994 shares (-100.0%) from their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $986,845,571
PRICE T ROWE ASSOCIATES INC /MD/ removed 3,932,086 shares (-46.4%) from their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $805,055,287
AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL INC added 3,583,751 shares (+40.1%) to their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $733,737,179
COATUE MANAGEMENT LLC added 3,349,048 shares (+inf%) to their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $685,684,087
SANDERS CAPITAL, LLC added 3,280,730 shares (+42.6%) to their portfolio in Q3 2025, for an estimated $671,696,660

To track hedge funds' stock portfolios, check out Quiver Quantitative's institutional holdings dashboard.

$AMAT Analyst Ratings

Wall Street analysts have issued reports on $AMAT in the last several months. We have seen 12 firms issue buy ratings on the stock, and 0 firms issue sell ratings.

Here are some recent analyst ratings:

UBS issued a "Buy" rating on 11/25/2025
Wells Fargo issued a "Overweight" rating on 11/14/2025
JP Morgan issued a "Overweight" rating on 11/14/2025
Morgan Stanley issued a "Overweight" rating on 11/14/2025
Citigroup issued a "Buy" rating on 11/14/2025
B. Riley Securities issued a "Buy" rating on 11/14/2025
Cantor Fitzgerald issued a "Overweight" rating on 11/14/2025

To track analyst ratings and price targets for $AMAT, check out Quiver Quantitative's $AMAT forecast page.

$AMAT Price Targets

Multiple analysts have issued price targets for $AMAT recently. We have seen 23 analysts offer price targets for $AMAT in the last 6 months, with a median target of $250.0.

Here are some recent targets:

Steve Barger from Keybanc set a target price of $285.0 on 12/02/2025
Timothy Arcuri from UBS set a target price of $285.0 on 11/25/2025
Joe Quatrochi from Wells Fargo set a target price of $255.0 on 11/14/2025
Charles Shi from Needham set a target price of $260.0 on 11/14/2025
C.J. Muse from Cantor Fitzgerald set a target price of $300.0 on 11/14/2025
Craig Ellis from B. Riley Securities set a target price of $270.0 on 11/14/2025
Shane Brett from Morgan Stanley set a target price of $252.0 on 11/14/2025

Full Release

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Materials, Inc. today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.46 per share payable on the company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on March 12, 2026 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 19, 2026.

The cash dividend is a key component of Applied’s capital allocation strategy. In March 2025, Applied announced a 15-percent increase in the quarterly dividend per share, from $0.40 to $0.46, marking eight consecutive years of dividend increases.

In fiscal 2025, Applied distributed nearly $6.3 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. The company had approximately $14.0 billion remaining in its share repurchase authorization at the end of the period.

Over the past 10 fiscal years through 2025, the company has increased its dividend per share at a compound annual growth rate of 16 percent and distributed nearly 90 percent of free cash flow to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements, express or implied, regarding future rates of cash dividends and our share repurchase program. While we expect to continue to pay dividends in the future, the declaration of any future dividends or dividends at any particular rate is subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, business conditions and other factors, as well as a determination by the Board of Directors that dividends are in the best interests of our stockholders. The timing and amount of share repurchases will depend on market conditions, our other funding requirements and other considerations. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements are described in our SEC filings, including our recent Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. All forward-looking statements are based on management’s current estimates, projections and assumptions, and we assume no obligation to update them.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measure
For reconciliation of the GAAP to non-GAAP financial measure related to free cash flow, see non-GAAP reconciliation materials on the Investor Relations website at ir.appliedmaterials.com .

About Applied Materials
Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMAT) is the leader in materials engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor and advanced display in the world. The technology we create is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation chips. At Applied, we push the boundaries of science and engineering to deliver material innovation that changes the world. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com .

Contact:
Ricky Gradwohl (editorial/media) 408.235.4676
Mike Sullivan (financial community) 408.986.7977