Applied Materials, Inc. vs Moody's Corporation — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $582.54 (market cap $478.36B), while Moody's Corporation trades at $495.87 (market cap $85.12B). The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. is far larger — about 5.6× Moody's Corporation's market cap, and Moody's Corporation pays the higher dividend (0.85%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | MCO | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $478.36B | $85.12B |
Sector | Technology | Financials |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $539.61 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $412.23 |
Enterprise Value | $477.39B | $90.92B |
Dividend Yield | 0.35% | 0.85% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Applied Materials (AMAT) trades at $602.50, up 2.35% recently, with strong technical support near $573 and resistance at $617. The company demonstrates robust fundamentals, including a 29.31% net income margin and consistent earnings beats, while benefiting from AI-driven semiconductor demand highlighted in recent CEO commentary (CNBC, 2026-05-28).
Outlook remains positive given analyst consensus of $644.33 price target and 76.9% buy ratings, though elevated P/E of 56.68 poses valuation risk. Key opportunities include AI infrastructure growth, while risks involve cyclical semiconductor demand and execution challenges in scaling operations.
MCO trades at $487.28, up 0.05% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages and strong fundamentals. The company reported Q1 2026 EPS of $4.33, beating estimates, and maintains robust profitability with a 31.69% net income margin. Recent news highlights Moody's AI initiatives, including new AI skills and integrations, positioning for growth in credit analytics. The stock is near its 52-week high, with support at $481 and resistance at $490.
Outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $539.40, implying 11% upside, driven by earnings momentum and AI adoption. Risks include high valuation multiples (P/E 34.96) and dependence on debt issuance cycles. Institutional sentiment is bullish with 56% buy ratings, but overbought RSI levels suggest near-term consolidation potential.
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 →Moody's, along with S&P Ratings, is a leading provider of credit ratings on fixed income securities. Moody's ratings segment, known as Moody's Investors Service or MIS, includes corporates, structured finance, financial institutions, and public finance ratings. MIS represents a majority of the firm's revenue and profits. Moody's other segment is Moody's Analytics and consists of Research, Data, and Analytics or RD&A and Enterprise Risk Solutions or ERS. RD&A's products include credit research, quantitative credit scores, economic research, business intelligence, know your customer (KYC) tools, commercial real estate data and analytical tools, and training services. ERS includes risk management software solutions to financial institutions.
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