Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) shares are trading higher during Monday’s premarket session, up 0.47%, tracking a firmer tone in growth-leaning tech as traders position for the week ahead. Nasdaq futures are up 0.29% while S&P 500 futures have gained 0.13%, and Technology (XLK) is leading early sector strength at +0.51%.

Applied Materials To Acquire NEXX

Separately, Applied Materials said it has entered into a definitive agreement with ASMPT Limited to acquire its NEXX business, a supplier of large-area advanced packaging deposition equipment for the semiconductor industry.

The company said the acquisition will expand its portfolio of panel-level advanced packaging technologies. These tools are designed to help chipmakers and systems companies build larger AI accelerators with improved energy efficiency.

The deal is expected to close in the coming months, subject to customary conditions. No regulatory approvals are required. After closing, the NEXX team will join Applied’s Semiconductor Products Group and remain based in Billerica, Massachusetts.

The financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed. Applied Materials held approximately $7.22 billion in cash and equivalents as of January 25, 2026.

Technical Analysis

Applied Materials is holding near the upper end of its 52-week range, sitting below the $420.50 high and well above the $148.74 low, which keeps the longer-term trend in the driver’s seat.

The stock is trading 0.1% below its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) and 16.8% above its 100-day SMA, a mix that suggests short-term consolidation inside a still-rising intermediate trend.

The moving average convergence divergence (MACD), a trend/momentum measure, is below its signal line and the histogram is negative, which leans toward cooling upside momentum after the prior run.

That lines up with the stock’s recent swing high in April and swing low in March, where the chart has been working through a digestion phase rather than extending straight up.

Over the last 12 months, the stock is up 151.65%, which shows buyers have controlled the bigger picture despite shorter-term pauses. With resistance still overhead near the prior breakout zone from April, traders tend to watch whether the stock can reclaim that ceiling or keeps chopping below it.

  • Key Resistance: $407.50 — an area where rallies have recently stalled.
  • Key Support: $320.50 — a level where buyers have tended to show up.

Applied Materials Earnings & Analyst Outlook

The countdown is on: Applied Materials is set to report earnings on May 14, 2026 (confirmed).

  • EPS Estimate: $2.67 (Up from $2.39 YoY)
  • Revenue Estimate: $7.68 Billion (Up from $7.10 Billion YoY)
  • Valuation: P/E of 39.9x (Indicates premium valuation relative to peers)

Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy Rating with an average price target of $397.85. Recent analyst moves include:

  • B. Riley Securities: Buy (Raises Target to $485.00) (April 13)
  • Susquehanna: Positive (Raises Target to $500.00) (April 9)
  • Morgan Stanley: Overweight (Raises Target to $432.00) (February 25)

Top ETF Exposure

  • iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXX): 5.84% Weight
  • Invesco Semiconductors ETF (NYSE:PSI): 4.84% Weight
  • Parnassus Core Select ETF (NYSE:PRCS): 7.50% Weight

Significance: Because AMAT carries such a heavy weight in these funds, any significant inflows or outflows will likely trigger automatic buying or selling of the stock.

Applied Materials Price Action

AMAT Stock Price Activity: Applied Materials shares were up 0.47% at $390.91 during premarket trading on Monday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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