New York, Feb 25, 2026, 11:44 (EST) — Regular session
- Applied Materials climbed roughly 3.6% in late-morning trading, putting shares close to the upper end of their 52-week range.
- Lam Research and KLA, both chip-equipment rivals, picked up gains with investors staking out positions ahead of Nvidia’s post-bell results.
- Applied director Judy Bruner unloaded shares via a family trust, according to a regulatory filing.
Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT.O) jumped 3.6% to $391.61 as of 11:44 a.m. EST Wednesday, moving within a range from $384 up to $394.39 — right at the high end of its 52-week stretch. Lam Research tacked on 2.1%, with KLA not far behind, up 2.8%. Applied’s stock, meanwhile, has surged roughly 52% year to date.
Chip-equipment stocks jumped back into focus just before Nvidia’s earnings, a major barometer for the AI investment cycle coursing through semiconductor suppliers. Reuters has tallied roughly $630 billion in AI-related capex among the major tech players. “People are so concerned about AI spending – whether we’re in a bubble,” said Ivana Delevska, chief investment officer at Spear Invest. Reuters
ASML, Europe’s heavyweight in chip equipment, pointed to soaring AI chip demand as the sector’s key engine now, with customers scaling up. “New and significant demand for AI was starting to fuel capacity build-up across our broad customer base,” CEO Christophe Fouquet said in the company’s annual report. Reuters
Applied’s director Judy Bruner unloaded 3,969 shares via a family trust on Feb. 23, fetching weighted-average prices between $376 and $378 per share, according to a Form 4 filing. U.S.-listed companies have to disclose insider stock moves like these.
On Tuesday, Applied put its supply chain in the spotlight, handing out Supplier Excellence Awards to a dozen partners. “AI computing is at the center of a new wave of growth for the semiconductor industry,” said Paul Chhabra, group vice president of global supply chain. Barchart
Applied’s last earnings, posted Feb. 12, showed quarterly revenue landing at $7.01 billion. The company projected second-quarter revenue at $7.65 billion, give or take $500 million, and set its non-GAAP EPS estimate at $2.64, with a $0.20 swing either way. CEO Gary Dickerson called out “the acceleration of industry investments in AI computing” as the quarter’s main driver. SEC
Just a day before, Applied disclosed a $252.5 million settlement with the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, resolving an export-controls probe related to shipments to certain China customers. According to the company, investigations by both the Justice Department and the SEC wrapped up without any enforcement action.
Whether Applied moves higher could hinge on Nvidia’s guidance, as investors weigh if they’re still on board with the rapid AI expansion that’s been fueling volatility throughout the space. Trade policy is another x-factor: the U.S. imposed a fresh 10% global import tariff on Tuesday, with a White House official indicating the administration aims to push that to 15%.
Nvidia’s report lands after the bell Wednesday—investors are zeroed in, watching for clues about data-center demand. Next up, they’ll comb through outlooks on wafer-fab spending, since that’s the piece driving tool orders at Applied and the rest of the sector.
