American Financial Group Inc vs Applied Materials, Inc. — how do they compare? American Financial Group Inc trades at $144.21 (market cap $11.97B), while Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $551.33 (market cap $417.31B). The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. is far larger — about 34.9× American Financial Group Inc's market cap, and American Financial Group Inc pays the higher dividend (2.44%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AFG | AMAT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $11.97B | $417.31B |
Sector | Financials | Technology |
52-Week High | $148.71 | $723.00 |
52-Week Low | $124.18 | $156.25 |
Enterprise Value | $12.35B | $416.34B |
Dividend Yield | 2.44% | 0.4% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
AFG trades at $142.77, down 0.76% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages and a neutral RSI near 59. The stock shows consistent profitability with a net income margin of 11.66% and ROE of 20.41%, though revenue dipped slightly in 2025. Recent Q2 2026 earnings beat estimates, driven by strong P&C underwriting and investment income, as reported by Business Wire on August 4, 2026.
The outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $160.67, implying 12.5% upside. Risks include potential earnings volatility and competitive pressures in the insurance sector. Analyst sentiment is mixed with 41% buy ratings, but no sell recommendations, supporting a cautiously optimistic view for long-term investors.
Applied Materials (AMAT) trades at $522.12, down 3.16% on the day, amid a neutral technical signal with support at $510 and resistance at $546. The company has consistently beaten earnings estimates in recent quarters, with Q1 2026 EPS of $2.86 surpassing the $2.68 forecast. Strong profitability is evident with a net margin of 29.31% and ROE of 39.69%, though valuation ratios like a P/E of 49.45 are elevated. Recent news highlights robust AI-driven demand in semiconductor equipment, with CEO Gary Dickerson calling it the industry's strongest period ever (CNBC, 2026-05-28).
The outlook remains positive given analyst consensus with a $662.82 price target and 76.9% buy ratings, but risks include high valuation sensitivity and cyclical semiconductor capital spending. Revenue growth to $29.0B in 2026 with a projected 29.31% net margin supports upside, though investors should monitor competitive pressures and macroeconomic impacts on tech spending.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
American Financial Group Inc is a holding company that is engaged primarily in property and casualty insurance services. The company has a focus on specialized commercial products for businesses. American also has annuity operations that are focused on sales of traditional fixed and fixed-indexed annuities in the education, bank, and individual markets. American's insurance operations are conducted through the Great American Insurance Group. The group writes business in all 50 of the United States, primarily through independent agents and brokers.
Read more on AFG →Applied Materials is the world's largest supplier of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, providing materials engineering solutions to help make nearly every chip in the world. The firm's systems are used in nearly every major process step with the exception of lithography. Key tools include those for chemical and physical vapor deposition, etching, chemical mechanical polishing, wafer- and reticle-inspection, critical dimension measurement, and defect-inspection scanning electron microscopes.
Read more on AMAT →