Compare Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) vs Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU) Price & Performance
Price performance (Past 24H)
Key statistics
Key statistics
Applied Materials, Inc. vs Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund — how do they compare? Applied Materials, Inc. trades at $551.93 (market cap $417.31B), while Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund trades at $43.89. The key difference: Applied Materials, Inc. pays a 0.4% dividend while Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund pays none, and Applied Materials, Inc. is trading nearer its 52-week high, Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| AMAT | XLU | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $417.31B | — |
Sector | Technology | — |
52-Week High | $723.00 | $47.73 |
52-Week Low | $156.25 | $41.31 |
Enterprise Value | $416.34B | — |
Dividend Yield | 0.4% | — |
Aura AI Summary
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Aura AI Summary
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.
XLU, the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund, trades at $43.85, up 1.65% on the day, but technical indicators signal a bearish trend with moving averages showing strong sell signals. The ETF is positioned to benefit from AI-driven power demand, with recent news highlighting increased call option activity and its role as a defensive income play with a dividend scheduled for June 2026. However, key financial ratios like P/E and ROE are unavailable from the provided data.
The outlook for XLU is mixed; AI power demand offers growth potential, but technical weakness and lack of current fundamental metrics pose risks. Investors should weigh the defensive income characteristics against bearish technical signals and evolving sector dynamics.
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Returns comparison
Trailing returns across standard periods
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
Top news
Latest headlines on both assets
About Applied Materials, Inc.
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 →About Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund
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 securities of companies from the following industries: electric utilities; water utilities; multi-utilities; independent power and renewable electricity producers; and gas utilities. The fund is non-diversified.
Read more on XLU →
