New York, February 18, 2026, 11:13 (EST) — Regular session
- Applied Materials shares pushed higher late in the morning, moving up alongside other chip equipment stocks.
- Management plans appearances at a pair of investor conferences in early March.
- Fresh demand signals linked to AI chip spending are on traders’ radar.
Applied Materials Inc jumped roughly 3% Wednesday, last seen at $369.78 late in the morning session. Earlier, the stock reached a peak of $370.50.
For investors, the chip-toolmaker now doubles as a pulse check on factory spending—actual orders versus all the AI chatter. Even a slight shift in its messaging can ripple through the entire sector.
Applied on Tuesday announced semiconductor products head Prabu Raja is set for a webcast “fireside chat” at a Morgan Stanley investor event on March 2. CFO Brice Hill, meanwhile, will take part in a similar format at a Cantor Fitzgerald conference, coming up March 10. (GlobeNewswire)
Semi stocks rallied: Nvidia jumped roughly 2.7%. The iShares Semiconductor ETF added about 1.8%. Equipment makers Lam Research and ASML also posted gains.
Broader indexes posted gains—QQQ, loaded with Nasdaq names, tacked on roughly 1.3%, while SPY, which mirrors the S&P 500, climbed about 0.8%.
Investors are tuning in for signs of change in what Applied highlights around wafer-fab gear—the machinery behind chip plant construction and upgrades. “Advanced packaging,” those updated techniques for stacking and linking chips at the heart of AI processors, is also in sharp focus.
Last week’s positive outlook is still setting the tone. Applied cited AI-driven spending and put forward a forecast that topped what analysts had penciled in. “Fueled by the acceleration of industry investments in AI computing,” CEO Gary Dickerson said of the results. (Reuters)
Still, dangers aren’t far off. Applied has inked a $252 million deal to settle with U.S. regulators, after issues surfaced over chipmaking tool exports linked to China—a sharp signal that rules, not just demand, can swing sales. (Reuters)
There’s a more straightforward risk here: when foundries or memory manufacturers pull back on spending after a wave of orders, equipment stocks often get hit quickly. These names move with the cycle—they’re no safe haven.
Investors will turn to the two March conference sessions next, hoping for updates on 2026 spending, the timing of orders, and how the company sees AI-driven demand shaping up.
