Compare Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) vs iShares Gold Trust (IAU) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Applied Materials, Inc. vs iShares Gold Trust — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $549.89 (market cap $417.31B), while iShares Gold Trust trades at $82.74. The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. pays a 0.4% dividend while iShares Gold Trust pays none, and Applied Materials, Inc. is trading nearer its 52-week high, iShares Gold Trust nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | IAU | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $417.31B | — |
Sector | Technology | Commodities - Metals/Agriculture |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $101.57 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $62.49 |
Enterprise Value | $416.34B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.4% | — |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
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.
IAU, the iShares Gold Trust ETF, trades at $82.98 with a 0.57% daily gain amid bullish technical signals from moving averages. The ETF benefits from gold's recent momentum as spot gold reached two-month highs above $4,430/oz following cooling CPI data. While oscillators show bearish signals with RSI at overbought levels, institutional interest remains strong with Deane Retirement Strategies increasing its stake by 36.5% in the latest quarter.
Outlook remains positive as gold gains support from inflation dynamics, geopolitical tensions, and central bank buying. Key risks include potential Fed policy shifts and dollar strength. The 0.25% expense ratio makes IAU attractive for conservative investors seeking gold exposure with lower volatility compared to mining stocks.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About Applied Materials, Inc.
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 →About iShares Gold Trust
IAU is a physically backed ETF that seeks to reflect the performance of the price of gold. It provides a convenient and liquid way for investors to include gold in their portfolios as a potential hedge.
Read more on IAU →
