Applied Materials, Inc. vs Prospect Capital Corporation — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $533.52 (market cap $414.54B), while Prospect Capital Corporation trades at $2.27 (market cap $1.15B). The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. is far larger — about 360.5× Prospect Capital Corporation's market cap, and Prospect Capital Corporation pays the higher dividend (21.83%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | PSEC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $414.54B | $1.15B |
Sector | Technology | Financials |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $3.05 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $2.11 |
Enterprise Value | $413.57B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.41% | 21.83% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Applied Materials (AMAT) trades at $525.61, down 2.51% on the day, amid a neutral technical signal with key support at $510 and resistance at $546. The company shows strong fundamentals with a 29.31% net income margin and consistent earnings beats, including Q1 2026 EPS of $2.86 versus $2.68 expected. Recent news highlights CEO Gary Dickerson's optimism on AI-driven semiconductor demand, calling it the 'greatest time in the history of the industry' (CNBC, 2026-05-28).
Outlook remains positive with a consensus price target of $662.82, implying 26% upside, supported by 76.9% analyst buy ratings. Risks include high valuation multiples like a P/E of 49.12 and cyclical semiconductor equipment demand. The stock offers growth exposure to AI infrastructure but faces volatility from tech sector shifts.
PSEC trades at $2.33, up 5.43% in the last session, with a neutral technical signal and bearish moving averages. The company shows mixed fundamentals, with a low P/B of 0.4 and recent quarterly EPS beats, but negative revenue and net income in 2025. Recent news highlights a dividend increase for an affiliate fund and the sale of Valley Electric for a 4.8x return.
Outlook is cautious; the stock offers value with a low P/B and dividend yield, but significant risks include persistent negative profitability, high P/S ratio, and analyst skepticism. Investment appeal hinges on portfolio turnaround and sustained dividend stability amid operational challenges.
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 →Prospect Capital Corp is a closed-end investment company based in the United States. Its investment objective is to generate both current income and long-term capital appreciation through debt and equity investments. The company invests primarily in senior and subordinated debt and equity of private companies for acquisitions, divestitures, growth, development, recapitalizations, and other purposes. It makes investments, including lending in private equity, sponsored transactions, directly to companies, investments in structured credit, real estate, and syndicated debt.
Read more on PSEC →