Applied Materials, Inc. vs Western Digital Corp — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $548.75 (market cap $417.31B), while Western Digital Corp trades at $455.26 (market cap $150.95B). The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. is far larger — about 2.8× Western Digital Corp's market cap, and Applied Materials, Inc. pays the higher dividend (0.4%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | WDC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $417.31B | $150.95B |
Sector | Technology | Technology |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $746.23 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $74.66 |
Enterprise Value | $416.34B | $150.42B |
Dividend Yield | 0.4% | 0.14% |
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.
Western Digital (WDC) trades at $454.50, up 3.74% in the last session, with a bearish technical signal but strong fundamental performance. Recent earnings beats, including Q2 2026 EPS of $3.56 versus $3.31 expected, highlight robust AI-driven storage demand. The stock is near resistance at $458, with a consensus analyst price target of $665.15 suggesting significant upside potential.
Outlook is positive due to sustained AI infrastructure growth and margin expansion, but risks include valuation concerns and competitive threats. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with 72% buy ratings, though technical indicators signal near-term caution. Investors should weigh strong earnings momentum against potential volatility from stretched valuations.
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 →Western Digital is a vertically integrated supplier of data storage solutions, spanning both hard disk drives and solid-state drives. In the HDD market it forms a practical duopoly with Seagate, and it is the largest global producer of NAND flash chips for SSDs in a joint venture with competitor Kioxia.
Read more on WDC →