Applied Materials, Inc. vs Micron Technology, Inc. — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $549.69 (market cap $417.31B), while Micron Technology, Inc. trades at $921.04 (market cap $980.90B). The key difference: Micron Technology, Inc. is far larger — about 2.4× Applied Materials, Inc.'s market cap, and Applied Materials, Inc. pays the higher dividend (0.4%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | MU | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $417.31B | $980.90B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $1.21K |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $115.79 |
Enterprise Value | $416.34B | $961.25B |
Dividend Yield | 0.4% | 0.06% |
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.
Micron Technology (MU) trades at $921.01, up 6.97% in 24 hours, with strong earnings beats in recent quarters and robust profitability metrics. Technical indicators show a bearish short-term signal, with the stock near resistance at $877. The company exhibits exceptional gross margins of 72.57% and net income margin of 55.91%, supported by surging memory demand and strategic customer agreements.
Outlook remains positive due to AI-driven memory demand and locked-in revenues, but risks include cyclical industry pressures and competitive threats. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with an average price target of $1,540, suggesting significant upside potential 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 →Micron historically focused on designing and manufacturing DRAM for PCs. The firm then expanded into the NAND flash memory market. It increased its DRAM scale with the purchase of Elpida (completed in mid-2013) and Inotera (completed in December 2016). The firm's DRAM and NAND products tailored to PCs, data centers, smartphones, game consoles, automotives, and other computing devices.
Read more on MU →