Applied Materials, Inc. vs iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $551.36 (market cap $417.31B), while iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF trades at $79.63. The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. pays a 0.4% dividend while iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF pays none, and Applied Materials, Inc. is trading nearer its 52-week high, iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | HYG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $417.31B | — |
Sector | Technology | Fixed Income |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $81.32 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $78.72 |
Enterprise Value | $416.34B | — |
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.
HYG, the iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF, trades at $79.63 with minimal daily movement (+0.19%). Technical indicators show a bearish trend with moving averages signaling caution, while oscillators remain neutral. Recent news highlights investor rotation into fixed income ETFs amid rising yields, though specific articles question HYG's competitiveness versus peers on expenses and performance.
The outlook for HYG is clouded by bearish technicals and mixed sentiment. Opportunities exist from high-yield demand, but risks include rising interest rates, inflation fears, and underperformance versus alternatives. Investors should weigh the ETF's 6.5% yield against potential downside from economic 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 →HYG is the world's largest high-yield bond ETF, tracking the Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High Yield Index. It provides liquid exposure to non-investment grade corporate debt, with 2026 top holdings including Cloud Software Group and Medline.
Read more on HYG →