Applied Materials vs. AMD: Which AI Semiconductor Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

Applied Materials and AMD offer different exposure to AI semiconductor demand. Applied Materials supplies chip manufacturing equipment with a lower valuation (P/E 23.4x) and improving growth trajectory, while AMD designs processors with faster 2025 revenue growth (34.3%) but faces potential shareholder dilution from OpenAI and Meta warrants covering ~20% of shares outstanding. The author recommends Applied Materials as the better buy, though both stocks have merit for long-term diversified portfolios.

10/01/2026, 3:08 PM • The Motley Fool

Applied Materials vs. Broadcom: Which Semiconductor Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

The article compares Applied Materials and Broadcom as semiconductor investment options for 2026. Applied Materials provides chip manufacturing equipment with $28.4B in FY2025 revenue and strong free cash flow of $5.7B, but faces customer concentration risks and export control challenges. Broadcom, with $63.9B in FY2025 revenue and $26.9B in free cash flow, is recommended as the better buy due to its dominant AI accelerator business with locked-in commitments from major tech companies and deeper, harder-to-replicate hyperscaler relationships.

10/01/2026, 2:09 PM • The Motley Fool

Applied Materials vs. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing: Which Tech Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

The article compares two semiconductor industry leaders: Applied Materials, which provides chip manufacturing equipment, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC), the world's largest dedicated chip foundry. While AMAT showed modest 4.4% revenue growth in 2025, TSMC demonstrated stronger momentum with 38% revenue growth and a 45% net margin. The author recommends TSMC due to its dominant 73% market share in chip foundries, faster earnings growth projections (27% vs 17%), and lower forward P/E valuation (22x vs 29x), despite geopolitical risks concentrated in Taiwan.

09/30/2026, 9:14 PM • The Motley Fool

Better Semiconductor Equipment Stock: Applied Materials vs. Lam Research

Applied Materials and Lam Research, both semiconductor equipment manufacturers, have experienced significant growth driven by AI chip demand. Despite recent pullbacks of 27-33% from 52-week highs, both companies show strong fundamentals with expected revenue growth of 51-52% and EPS growth of 71-85% in upcoming quarters. With nearly identical valuations and growth prospects, both stocks present attractive buying opportunities as semiconductor equipment spending is projected to reach $229.5 billion by 2028.

09/29/2026, 2:30 PM • The Motley Fool

Global Chiplet Assembly Equipment Market Forecast to 2036 | Rapid Expansion of Semiconductor Assembly and Test Capacity is Reshaping the Industry

The global chiplet assembly equipment market is valued at USD 3.6 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach USD 16.2 billion by 2036, expanding at a CAGR of 16.2%. Growth is driven by increasing adoption of chiplet-based architectures, rising demand for AI and high-performance computing, expansion of HBM production, and rapid growth in semiconductor assembly and test capacity. Asia-Pacific currently leads the market, while North America is expected to register the fastest growth.

09/21/2026, 4:54 AM • GlobeNewswire

Applied Materials vs. Nvidia: Which Tech Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

The article compares Applied Materials and Nvidia as semiconductor investment options. Nvidia dominates with $215.9B revenue and 55.6% net margins but faces valuation concerns and AI boom dependency. Applied Materials offers more stability with $28.4B revenue and lower valuation multiples but slower growth. The author recommends Applied Materials as the safer choice, citing concerns that AI growth may slow and regulatory threats could impact Nvidia.

09/19/2026, 9:15 PM • The Motley Fool

Applied Materials vs. Intel: Examining Revenue Growth Trajectories of These Artificial Intelligence Companies

Applied Materials and Intel are both benefiting from the AI boom in 2026 after struggling in 2025. Applied Materials achieved record revenue of $9.1 billion in Q2 2026, representing 25% year-over-year growth with a 34% operating margin. Intel's revenue reached $16.1 billion in Q2 2026, also up 25% year-over-year, but the company reported a $10.8 billion net loss due to a non-cash CHIPS Act accounting charge. Applied Materials shows stronger momentum with three consecutive quarterly gains, while Intel maintains higher absolute revenue but faces profitability challenges.

09/19/2026, 1:09 AM • The Motley Fool

Applied Materials vs. Marvell Technology: Which Tech Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

Applied Materials and Marvell Technology are compared as semiconductor investment options for 2026. Applied Materials, a chipmaking equipment manufacturer, shows steady 4.4% revenue growth with a conservative P/E of 35.4 and strong financial metrics. Marvell Technology, focused on AI data center solutions, demonstrates explosive 42.1% growth but trades at a premium P/E of 55.9 with high customer concentration. The author recommends Applied Materials as the less risky choice, citing concerns about Marvell's heavy exposure to AI spending sustainability and intense competition from tech giants.

09/17/2026, 7:15 AM • The Motley Fool

Why Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF Dropped Today

The Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF (SOXL) dropped 14.91% after tech leaders Elon Musk, Dario Amodei, and Sam Altman called for a coordinated slowdown in AI development over the weekend. The decline was driven by losses in its top semiconductor holdings, with Micron down 5.1%, AMD down 4.26%, and Nvidia down 2.74%. The author suggests the decline may be temporary as investors reassess whether the AI slowdown will actually be implemented.

09/14/2026, 1:20 PM • The Motley Fool

Applied Materials vs. ASML: Which Tech Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

The article compares two semiconductor equipment giants: Applied Materials, which provides diverse chip fabrication tools, and ASML, which dominates extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. ASML is recommended as the better buy despite higher valuation, citing its monopoly in advanced chip manufacturing technology and superior financial metrics, while Applied Materials faces geopolitical risks and lacks comparable competitive moats.

09/13/2026, 8:30 AM • The Motley Fool

Applied Materials vs. Intel: Which Tech Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

Applied Materials and Intel represent different plays in semiconductor growth. Applied Materials supplies essential chip manufacturing equipment with strong profitability (24.7% net margin, $5.7B free cash flow) and a modest dividend. Intel is undergoing a capital-intensive transformation into a foundry business, currently unprofitable with negative free cash flow of $4.9B. The article recommends Applied Materials as the safer choice due to its financial stability, consistent profitability over 10 years, and lower business risk compared to Intel's uncertain transition.

09/11/2026, 8:15 AM • The Motley Fool

Computer History Museum Announces "Extended Reality: Visions of the Future" Exhibit

The Computer History Museum announced the opening of 'Extended Reality: Visions of the Future,' a new exhibit running from October 1, 2026 to March 28, 2027, showcasing over 100 XR devices and wearables tracing the evolution from pioneering 1960s systems to today's AI-enabled smart glasses. The exhibit explores how AI is transforming wearable computing and features artifacts from major tech companies including Meta, Google, and Apple.

09/10/2026, 1:00 PM • GlobeNewswire

The Biggest Chip Stocks All Yield Under 1%. Here's Where the Cash Actually Goes.

Major chip stocks (Nvidia, Broadcom, Taiwan Semiconductor, and Applied Materials) all offer dividend yields below 1% despite strong profitability. Instead of dividends, these companies return cash to shareholders through stock buybacks and capital investments in manufacturing capacity and equipment, with each company prioritizing different uses for their cash flows.

08/13/2026, 9:12 AM • The Motley Fool

Semiconductor Equipment Makers vs. Chip Designers: Who's Actually Winning the AI Cycle?

The article compares semiconductor equipment makers (ASML, Applied Materials) versus chip designers (Nvidia, Broadcom) in the AI boom. While equipment makers have outperformed over the past year, chip designers have higher profit margins (75-77% vs 50-54%) and greater pricing power, giving them a long-term advantage in capitalizing on the AI cycle despite massive capex investments expected to exceed $1 trillion next year.

08/10/2026, 4:30 PM • The Motley Fool

Forget Taiwan Semiconductor: 2 AI Semiconductor Equipment Stocks to Buy and Hold Instead

The article argues that semiconductor equipment makers ASML and Applied Materials are better investment choices than Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing due to geopolitical risks in Taiwan. ASML, the sole producer of EUV lithography machines, has seen 17% annual revenue growth and a 145% stock increase over the past year. Applied Materials, which provides equipment for various chip manufacturing processes, projects 18% revenue growth this year and 29% in 2027, with a 200% stock increase over the past year.

08/07/2026, 12:30 PM • The Motley Fool