Price movement over the last 24 hours
Applied Materials, Inc. vs VanEck Semiconductor ETF — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $581.7 (market cap $478.36B), while VanEck Semiconductor ETF trades at $601. The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. pays a 0.35% dividend while VanEck Semiconductor ETF pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | SMH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $478.36B | — |
Sector | Technology | — |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $668.91 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $283.95 |
Enterprise Value | $477.39B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.35% | — |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Applied Materials (AMAT) trades at $602.50, up 2.35% today, with strong earnings beats in recent quarters and a consensus analyst price target of $644.33. The stock shows a bullish moving average signal but neutral oscillators, with key resistance at $617 and support at $573. Revenue grew to $28.37B in 2025, with a net income margin of 24.66%, though valuation ratios like P/E of 56.68 are elevated. Recent news highlights CEO Gary Dickerson's optimism on AI-driven semiconductor demand, positioning AMAT for multi-year growth.
The outlook for AMAT is positive, driven by AI infrastructure expansion and consistent earnings outperformance. Risks include high valuation multiples and semiconductor cycle volatility. With 76.9% of analysts rating it a buy and institutional sentiment bullish, the stock offers growth potential but requires monitoring of execution and market conditions.
SMH trades at $611.40, up 0.6% with a neutral technical signal. Recent news highlights strong 2026 performance, including a 64% YTD gain and 113% over 12 months, driven by semiconductor sector trends and AI infrastructure demand. However, the ETF faced a 13% pullback from recent highs amid broader chip stock volatility, with key support at $602 and resistance at $616.
Outlook remains positive due to AI-driven semiconductor demand, but risks include sector concentration, geopolitical tensions, and potential rotation away from chip stocks. JPMorgan recommends buying the dip, while Morgan Stanley notes a possible shift to hyperscalers, indicating cautious optimism amid near-term volatility.
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 →The fund normally invests at least 80% of its total assets in securities that comprise the target index. The index includes common stocks and depositary receipts of US exchange-listed companies in the semiconductor industry. Such companies may include medium-capitalization companies and foreign companies that are listed on a US exchange. The fund is non-diversified.
Read more on SMH →