Applied Materials, Inc. vs Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $551.2 (market cap $417.31B), while Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund trades at $84.65. The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. pays a 0.4% dividend while Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | XLP | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $417.31B | — |
Sector | Technology | — |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $90.00 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $75.61 |
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.
XLP, the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF, trades at $84.585, down 0.43% today. Technical indicators show a neutral overall signal with bullish moving averages, while oscillators remain neutral. The ETF's 2.6% dividend yield provides income appeal, with a dividend scheduled for payment on June 24, 2026. Recent news highlights consumer staples as a defensive play amid market rotation, with Coca-Cola's strong Q2 2026 earnings underscoring sector resilience (ETF Trends, July 29, 2026).
Outlook remains positive given 100% analyst buy ratings and defensive positioning during economic uncertainty. Key risks include sector concentration and sensitivity to consumer spending shifts. The ETF's stability and income generation support a favorable risk-reward profile for conservative investors seeking exposure to essential consumer goods.
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 →In seeking to track the performance of the index, the fund employs a replication strategy. It generally invests substantially all, but at least 95%, of its total assets in the securities comprising the index. The index includes companies that have been identified as Consumer Staples companies by the GICS®. It is non-diversified.
Read more on XLP →