Applied Materials, Inc. vs CleanSpark Inc — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $549.88 (market cap $417.31B), while CleanSpark Inc trades at $12.21 (market cap $2.96B). The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. is far larger — about 141× CleanSpark Inc's market cap, and Applied Materials, Inc. pays a 0.4% dividend while CleanSpark Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | CLSK | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $417.31B | $2.96B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $23.20 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $8.18 |
Enterprise Value | $416.34B | $3.95B |
Dividend Yield | 0.4% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
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.
CleanSpark (CLSK) trades at $12.08, up 4.23% today but facing bearish technical signals with recent earnings misses. The company reported a Q3 2026 loss of $0.89 per share versus expectations of -$0.47, continuing a trend of negative profitability despite securing a significant $6.6 billion AI data center lease. Analyst sentiment remains strongly bullish with 11 buy ratings and a $24.13 consensus price target, representing 100% upside potential from current levels.
The stock presents a high-risk, high-reward opportunity with strong institutional support but significant execution challenges. While the AI infrastructure pivot offers long-term growth potential, near-term profitability concerns and negative cash flow create substantial volatility. Investors must weigh the disconnect between bullish analyst coverage and persistent earnings underperformance against the company's strategic repositioning in digital infrastructure.
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 →CleanSpark is a leading Bitcoin mining company that operates high-density data centers. It focuses on using sustainable energy to power its mining fleet and provides digital infrastructure for the blockchain ecosystem.
Read more on CLSK →