Good MorningU.S. stocks pushed nearer record levels as mixed economic data kept alive hopes for interest-rate cuts. The S&P 500 rose 0.3% and sat about 0.6% below its all-time high, the Dow climbed 408 points, or 0.9%, and the Nasdaq added 0.2%. Microchip Technology led gains after a bullish outlook, jumping about 12.2%, and trading activity was heavy across major names.
AI and chip-related sectors continued to drive market interest. Communication technology and semiconductor groups have seen renewed investor attention, and NVIDIA was among the most active stocks, reflecting persistent enthusiasm for AI winners. OpenAI’s new foundation grants and broader AI investment themes are adding to the momentum behind tech-heavy names.
Corporate news was mixed. Macy’s posted a surprise profit and raised its full-year outlook, helping retail sentiment, while Airbus cut its 2025 delivery target from roughly 820 to about 790 planes after a supplier issue, which could ripple through aerospace supply chains. Commodities also moved higher, with gold and crude oil both rising, supporting cyclicals and resource stocks. Featured: Wall Street’s quietly buying these 3 AI infrastructure plays (Ad) 
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Technology | |
After years of being considered a laggard in the AI gold rush, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) turned the market on its head and put OpenAI on the defensive for the first time since ChatGPT launched in 2022. Alphabet is challenging OpenAI and shaking up the AI ecosystem—and if it continues to ... Read the Full Story |
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From Our Partners | | A scheduled announcement on July 31st could reshuffle the stock market's winners and losers - and one lesser-known name may be positioned to benefit while the Magnificent 7 stumbles.
Smaller, overlooked stocks are showing growing potential to challenge AI's biggest players. One specific ticker stands out heading into that date. | | Get the name and ticker of this stock on your radar now |
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Technology | |
As central as NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) is to the AI-driven semiconductor supercycle, it is not the only semiconductor stock set to benefit. While AI, GPUs, and data center capabilities are at the core of the movement, they are impacting various sectors across the economy and are complemented by stead... Read the Full Story |
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Consumer Staples | |
Many investors have profited from the artificial intelligence (AI) trade in 2025. But there have been several up-and-coming stocks in other sectors that have posted impressive gains this year.
The three stocks in this article are still small stocks; the largest market cap is just over $4 billion.... Read the Full Story |
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From Our Partners | | "Your First Trade Playbook" - normally $29.97 - is free to download today. It walks you through every step, from which account to open to which order button to avoid, so you can be ready for your first options trade in a single sitting.
The download link expires soon, and the playbook returns to full price once it does. | | Download your free copy of Your First Trade Playbook now |
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Technology | |
CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWD) reported solid third-quarter earnings that were slightly above expectations on the top and bottom lines. The report also included a record level of annual recurring revenue (ARR).
But the report wasn’t enough to satisfy the high-speed traders who i... Read the Full Story |
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Technology | |
Okta’s (NASDAQ: OKTA) stock price dipped following its fiscal Q3 2026 earnings release and guidance update, which was only an excuse to sell.
Why? Because the company “failed” to provide a fiscal 2027 update. But what business typically provides its subsequent fiscal year gui... Read the Full Story |
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From Our Partners | | Adam O'Dell - the analyst who recommended Palantir before it became the top S&P 500 performer - has identified a new venture quietly incubating inside Tesla. It has nothing to do with EVs, AI, or robotics, yet it generated $12 billion in 2025 alone.
Blackstone calls the broader opportunity a $23 trillion investment runway. Adam believes investors who position themselves before July 22 are early. He's also giving away a free ticker pick in his latest briefing. | | Watch Adam O'Dell's full briefing and get his free ticker now |
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Industrials | |
"Is hydrogen dead?" That has been the prevailing question for investors watching the renewable energy sector throughout 2025. After a year of brutal stock performance and retreating sentiment, the industry desperately needed a sign of life. It just got one from the most demanding customer in the s... Read the Full Story |
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Retail/Wholesale | |
2025 has been a mixed bag for consumer staples companies operating in the retail space. While Target’s (NYSE: TGT) well-documented struggles have resulted in a year-to-date (YTD) loss of more than 34%, others have fared much better.
Walmart (NYSE: WMT), for example, has proven capable of a... Read the Full Story |
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Technology | |
Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) shares are back on firm footing in recent sessions after a dodgy run last month. The stock closed just above $168 on Monday, extending its bounce from last month’s low around $160. That level was once a key zone of resistance, so the fact that it’s now ac... Read the Full Story |
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Consumer Discretionary | |
In a move that could fundamentally redraw the map of the global entertainment industry, Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) has reportedly submitted a binding, predominantly cash offer to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD). The bid, submitted ahead of the Dec. 1 deadline for second-round offers, mark... Read the Full Story |
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Markets | |
Christmas stores come in every possible size - from tiny, creaky-floored New England shops to full-blown retail theme parks - but when you line them up state by state, a few patterns jump out.
Below are the most interesting takeaways from our nationwide survey of 3,022 shoppers.
Key Findings
... Read the Full Story |
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Thursday's Early Bird Stock Of The Day Applied Materials, Inc. engages in the provision of manufacturing equipment, services, and software to the semiconductor, display, and related industries. The company operates through three segments: Semiconductor Systems, Applied Global Services, and Display and Adjacent Markets. The Semiconductor Systems segment develops, manufactures, and sells various manufacturing equipment that is used to fabricate semiconductor chips or integrated circuits. This segment also offers various technologies, including epitaxy, ion implantation, oxidation/nitridation, rapid thermal processing, physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, chemical mechanical planarization, electrochemical deposition, atomic layer deposition, etching, and selective deposition and removal, as well as metrology and inspection tools. The Applied Global Services segment provides integrated solutions to optimize equipment and fab performance and productivity comprising spares, upgrades, services, remanufactured earlier generation equipment, and factory automation software for semiconductor, display, and other products. The Display and Adjacent Markets segment offers products for manufacturing liquid crystal displays; organic light-emitting diodes; and other display technologies for TVs, monitors, laptops, personal computers, electronic tablets, smart phones, and other consumer-oriented devices. It operates in the United States, China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Europe. The company was incorporated in 1967 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. | Should I Buy Applied Materials Stock? AMAT Bull and Bear Case Explained
These insights were generated using artificial intelligence. They are based on proprietary MarketBeat data, news articles, and custom LLM A.I. algorithms. This analysis of Applied Materials was last updated on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at 6:05 PM.
Applied Materials Bull Case -
The current stock price is around $720, reflecting strong market interest and potential for growth.
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Applied Materials, Inc. reported impressive quarterly earnings, with earnings per share (EPS) of $2.86, exceeding analysts' expectations, indicating robust financial health.
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The company has a high return on equity of nearly 37%, suggesting effective management and strong profitability relative to shareholder equity.
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With a market capitalization of approximately $478 billion, Applied Materials, Inc. is a significant player in the semiconductor manufacturing sector, providing stability and growth potential.
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The company has consistently increased its revenue, with a year-over-year growth of over 11%, showcasing its ability to expand and adapt in a competitive market.
Applied Materials Bear Case -
The stock has a relatively high price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of about 56.57, which may indicate that the stock is overvalued compared to its earnings.
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With a beta of 1.57, the stock is more volatile than the market, suggesting that it may experience larger price swings, which could be risky for conservative investors.
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The dividend yield is only around 0.4%, which may not be attractive for income-focused investors looking for higher returns from dividends.
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The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, which is low, but could indicate limited leverage for growth opportunities compared to competitors with higher ratios.
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Recent trading volumes have been lower than average, which may suggest reduced investor interest or liquidity issues in the stock.
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