Applied Materials, Inc. vs F5 Inc — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $552.43 (market cap $417.31B), while F5 Inc trades at $420.2 (market cap $23.44B). The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. is far larger — about 17.8× F5 Inc's market cap, and Applied Materials, Inc. pays a 0.4% dividend while F5 Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | FFIV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $417.31B | $23.44B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $431.26 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $223.99 |
Enterprise Value | $416.34B | $22.08B |
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.
F5 (FFIV) trades at $414.00, up 0.98% in the last session, with a bullish technical signal and strong earnings beats in recent quarters. Revenue grew to $3.09 billion in 2025, with a net income margin of 21.95%, while the company raised its annual revenue forecast on robust cybersecurity demand (Reuters, 2026-07-27). The stock is near resistance at $417, with RSI indicating mild overbought conditions.
The outlook remains positive due to consistent earnings outperformance and AI-driven security growth, but risks include high valuation multiples (P/E of 32.98) and competitive pressures. Analysts maintain a moderate buy consensus with a $430.43 price target, suggesting potential upside from current levels.
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 →F5 is a market leader in the application delivery controller market. The company sells products for networking traffic, security, and policy management. Its products ensure applications are safely routed in efficient manners within on-premises data centers and across cloud environments. More than half of its revenue is based on providing services, and its three customer verticals are enterprises, service providers, and government entities. The Seattle-based firm was incorporated in 1996 and generates sales globally.
Read more on FFIV →