Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) secures a spot on our list of the best memory stocks to buy according to analysts.
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As of April 20, 2026, Wall Street remained strongly positive on Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT), with 81% of analysts covering the stock assigning “Buy” ratings. The highest price target on the Street stands at $500, which implies roughly 27.2% upside.
Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) picked up fresh Wall Street backing on April 13, 2026.
Riley analyst Craig Ellis took the firm’s price target to $485 from $450 and kept a “Buy” rating on Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT). His case rested on a better outlook for semiconductor capital spending from 2026 through 2028, as chipmakers keep putting money into advanced-node capacity to build more complex processors.
The company’s own management commentary lines up with that view.
Customers are moving faster on node migrations and taking on more complex 3D scaling technologies. Meanwhile, spending at the leading edge, in advanced packaging, and in memory, specifically DRAM and HBM, has stayed firm.
How customers are spending is also influencing Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT)’s internal priorities.
In its Q1 2026 earnings call, management said R&D funding and capacity expansion in key product lines will continue. Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) is also working on its supply chain, adding supplier qualifications, dual-sourcing where possible, localizing certain components, and tightening up operations. The R&D agenda covers gate-all-around, backside power, advanced packaging, EUV-related adjacencies, new scaling materials, and AI-enabled metrology and inspection work.
One other detail from the call: Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) said its line of sight into HBM-related tool demand now extends across multiple quarters.
Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) is the global leader in materials engineering solutions, providing the equipment, services, and software used to manufacture semiconductor chips and advanced displays. They also enable chipmakers to create smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient electronics, serving as foundational technologies for AI and consumer electronics.
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