Applied Materials

AMAT

Market cap $357B

Jim Cramer called it “the greatest time in the history of the industry” on Mad Money Thursday night, and the data is screaming the same thing: Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT | AMAT Price Prediction) is up 75% year to date as the AI data center buildout has triggered shortages across every node, every fab, and every piece of capital equipment that touches a wafer.

Applied Materials CEO Gary Dickerson joins 'Mad Money' host Jim Cramer to talk quarterly results, AI demand, and more.

Applied Materials CEO Gary Dickerson said the semiconductor industry is experiencing its strongest period ever. He said artificial intelligence is driving unprecedented computing demand and long-term growth.

Applied Materials NASDAQ: AMAT Chief Executive Officer Gary Dickerson said artificial intelligence is driving a multi-year expansion in semiconductor manufacturing demand, with the company positioned around the areas he described as the fastest-growing parts of wafer fab equipment spending.

Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) Presents at Bernstein 42nd Annual Strategic Decisions Conference Transcript

AMAT gains an edge in the AI chip equipment race as broader tech exposure and stronger growth forecasts set it apart.

SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMAT), the leader in materials engineering solutions for the semiconductor industry, today announced that SCREEN Semiconductor Solutions Co., Ltd. (SCREEN SPE), a group company of SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd. (TSE: 7735), has joined the EPIC Center as its newest innovation partner. The collaboration will bring together SCREEN SPE's expertise in wafer cleaning technology with Applied's leadership in materials engineering to develop co-optimized process solutions for the world's most advanced chips.

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Here is how Applied Materials (AMAT) and Chegg (CHGG) have performed compared to their sector so far this year.