Applied Materials, Inc. vs Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $537.5 (market cap $417.31B), while Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF trades at $89. The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. pays a 0.4% dividend while Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF pays none, and Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF is trading nearer its 52-week high, Applied Materials, Inc. nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | VUG | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $417.31B | — |
Sector | Technology | Sector/Thematic |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $90.29 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $70.00 |
Enterprise Value | $416.34B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.4% | — |
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.
Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) trades at $89.4, up 0.81% today, with a bullish technical signal driven by strong moving average support. Recent news highlights significant institutional buying interest, with multiple firms increasing stakes by over 500% in Q2 2026. The ETF focuses on large-cap growth stocks, offering broad exposure to innovative US companies.
Outlook remains positive given institutional accumulation and growth stock momentum, though an RSI of 95.06 on a 6-day basis indicates potential overbought conditions. Key risks include market volatility and sensitivity to interest rate changes, but long-term growth prospects appear solid based on historical performance and sector trends.
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 →VUG is an index-based ETF that tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, providing concentrated exposure to the largest and fastest-growing companies in the United States. It focuses on stocks with high growth potential across tech, communication, and consumer sectors, serving as a low-cost, high-conviction core holding for long-term capital appreciation.
Read more on VUG →