Applied Materials, Inc. vs iShares MSCI South Africa ETF — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $523.78 (market cap $414.54B), while iShares MSCI South Africa ETF trades at $68.51. The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. pays a 0.41% dividend while iShares MSCI South Africa ETF pays none, and Applied Materials, Inc. is trading nearer its 52-week high, iShares MSCI South Africa ETF nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | EZA | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $414.54B | — |
Sector | Technology | Broad Market / Factor |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $81.60 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $56.36 |
Enterprise Value | $413.57B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.41% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Applied Materials (AMAT) trades at $539.14, up 2.21% today, showing strong momentum amid bullish technical signals and consistent earnings beats. The stock benefits from robust fundamentals including 29.31% net margins and 39.69% ROE, with revenue growth projected to reach $29B in 2026. Recent news highlights CEO Gary Dickerson's optimistic outlook on AI-driven semiconductor demand, calling this 'the greatest time in the history of our industry' (CNBC, 2026-05-28).
Outlook remains positive with 76.9% analyst buy ratings and $662.82 consensus target, though elevated P/E of 50.72 poses valuation risk. Key opportunities include AI infrastructure expansion and strong operating leverage, while risks involve semiconductor cycle volatility and competitive pressures in chip equipment markets.
EZA trades at $69.65, up 4.14% today, with a bullish technical signal from moving averages but overbought oscillators. The stock faces resistance near $68 and support at $66. Recent news highlights macroeconomic pressures on its South African-focused portfolio, including exposure to gold, banking, and platinum group metals amid rising interest rates and inflation.
The outlook is mixed, with technical strength offset by fundamental headwinds from global reflation. Investment opportunities hinge on commodity price stability, while risks include yield curve dynamics and cost of capital increases that may pressure constituent earnings.
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 →EZA is a country-specific ETF that tracks the South African equity market. It provides exposure to large and mid-cap companies across key sectors like materials and financials, with top holdings such as AngloGold Ashanti and Naspers.
Read more on EZA →