Applied Materials, Inc. vs Barclays PLC — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $531.17 (market cap $414.54B), while Barclays PLC trades at $27.87 (market cap $94.10B). The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. is far larger — about 4.4× Barclays PLC's market cap, and Barclays PLC pays the higher dividend (2.18%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | BCS | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $414.54B | $94.10B |
Sector | Technology | Financials |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $28.56 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $19.36 |
Enterprise Value | $413.57B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.41% | 2.18% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Applied Materials (AMAT) trades at $525.61, down 2.51% on the day, amid a neutral technical signal with key support at $510 and resistance at $546. The company shows strong fundamentals with a 29.31% net income margin and consistent earnings beats, including Q1 2026 EPS of $2.86 versus $2.68 expected. Recent news highlights CEO Gary Dickerson's optimism on AI-driven semiconductor demand, calling it the 'greatest time in the history of the industry' (CNBC, 2026-05-28).
Outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $662.82, implying 26% upside, supported by 76.9% analyst buy ratings. Risks include high valuation multiples like a P/E of 49.12 and cyclical semiconductor equipment demand. The stock offers growth exposure to AI infrastructure but faces volatility from tech sector shifts.
Barclays PLC (BCS) trades at $27.93, down 0.89% on the day, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but neutral oscillators. The company reported strong earnings beats in recent quarters, with Q2 2026 EPS of $0.90 exceeding the $0.89 estimate. Revenue grew to $29.14 billion in 2025, with a net income margin of 25.51%. Analyst consensus is 68% buy, though recent news highlights a securities class action investigation.
The outlook for BCS is positive given earnings momentum and a low P/E of 10.73, but risks include the legal investigation and rising costs noted in Q2 2026. Investment opportunity lies in valuation discount and dividend yield, while sentiment is mixed due to near-term headwinds.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
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 →Barclays is a universal bank headquartered in the United Kingdom. It operates via two principal segments
Read more on BCS →