Applied Materials, Inc. vs Upstart Holdings Inc — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $548.99 (market cap $417.31B), while Upstart Holdings Inc trades at $30.22 (market cap $2.91B). The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. is far larger — about 143.4× Upstart Holdings Inc's market cap, and Applied Materials, Inc. pays a 0.4% dividend while Upstart Holdings Inc pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | UPST | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $417.31B | $2.91B |
Sector | Technology | Financials |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $73.76 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $24.22 |
Enterprise Value | $416.34B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.4% | — |
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.
Upstart Holdings trades at $30.21, down 2.83% on the day, with a bullish technical signal supported by moving averages despite recent earnings misses. The company achieved a significant turnaround with $53.6M net income in 2025 after years of losses, driven by 42% revenue growth in Q2 2026. Analyst consensus remains positive with a $47.20 price target, though debt levels have risen to 61.48% of assets.
The outlook balances strong AI-driven loan growth against execution risks and high valuation. Near-term catalysts include the upcoming bank launch and sustained origination growth, while macroeconomic sensitivity and competitive pressures present ongoing challenges for the lending platform.
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 →Upstart Holdings Inc provides credit services. The company provides a proprietary, cloud-based, artificial intelligence lending platform. The platform aggregates consumer demand for loans and connects it to the network of Upstart AI-enabled bank partners. The revenue of the company is primarily comprised of fees paid by banks.
Read more on UPST →